Galactic Law
by Eruanna17
Summary: Rey's first day of law school isn't going the the way she dreamed. She's been paired up with the most overdramatic jerk she's ever met. He's rude, insulting, pretentious, and she may or may not have slapped him by the end of the day. Either way, Kylo Ren is the worst person the galaxy, and she cannot stand him. How on earth is she supposed to work with him for the entire year?
1. Dramatis Personæ

_Dramatis personæ: Latin, "persons of the drama", i.e. (id est, or "in other words") the main characters of the dramatic work. (Or overdramatic people. Whichever suits your fancy.)_

* * *

Rey reorganized her notepad and pens on her small desk for the third time, filled with a nervous excitement. Finn gave her hand a quick squeeze and a reassuring smile.

"We'll be okay, Rey."

She gave him a nod and tried to look more confident than she felt, spinning the small, cheap ring Finn had gotten her last Christmas back and forth on her middle finger.

"Would you two relax?" Poe shook his head. "It's the first day of law school, not an interrogation. There's nothing to be…"

Rey turned to see why her talkative friend had suddenly trailed off. He, along with most of the class, was staring at a young man dressed in black who had just walked in.

The whispers started the second he sat down.

"Is that Ben Solo?"

"Who?"

"His mom's the majority leader of the Senate!"

"His dad is a famous pilot!"

"Word is, his dad's got like, shady business connections."

"Like _mob_ connections?"

"I heard he got disowned or something."

"One of the TAs saw him slam a door so hard it smashed into splinters!"

"His uncle's the Dean over at the Skywalker School of Law." Poe told them in a low tone.

Rey blinked. "Why didn't he go there?"

"He did! He got kicked out!"

Finn's jaw dropped. "What?! How?"

"No one knows, but he was almost done with his first year, then _boom!_ They had a giant argument or something, and he's out! Now he has to start all over!"

Rey looked over at the dark-haired young man, noting how his jaw tensed every time someone mentioned 'Solo' or 'Skywalker'.

"If I could have everyone's attention please." Professor Holdo announced, more of a command than a question.

"Welcome to Legal Research and Writing. This course is designed to help you acquire fundamental skills in legal research, analysis, and writing. I will also be assigning mock trial cases, where you will examine the interplay of law, fact, goals, and the context of the case."

Rey scribbled furiously as everyone around her typed away on their laptops.

"Working in pairs, you will identify fundamental questions, develop a plan, execute that plan, and participate in critique. Are there any questions before we go over the syllabus?"

As the professor answered inquiries, Poe leaned over to whisper to Finn, "That's Professor Holdo? The terror of first years everywhere?"

"I guess so." Finn shrugged as Rey shushed them both.

Poe regarded the woman with the purple curls with growing interest. "Not what I expected."

Rey rolled her eyes and tried to follow along in the syllabus. She had only met Poe a month ago, after he advertised for one roommate online, and had agreed to both Finn and Rey sharing the tiny apartment with him and his exuberant corgi BB-8 after some copious begging and seeing how much his dog loved Rey. She was quickly starting to understand why her new roommate elicited exasperated fondness in almost everyone he knew.

"Alright, if no one has any more questions, I will let you go early. I do need to speak to the following students: Finn, Rey, and… Kylo. The rest of you are free to go."

Exchanging looks, Finn grabbed Rey's hand as they made their way up front.

"Alright... Finn?" Holdo asked as she pulled out a folder.

"Yes?"

"Please tell me if this is a mistake, but my roster lists your last name as twenty-one?"

Laughing in relief until Rey elbowed him, Finn snapped back to attention. "Sorry, ma'am, they must have heard me wrong at the registrar's office. It's Tuwon, pronounced like 'two, one'. That would be weird, just going through life as a number. Like, 'that'll be all, 2187'. Like we're robots."

Holdo smiled indulgently as she corrected the paper. "Indeed. That'll be all."

Unsure whether or not that was a joke (and too afraid to ask), Rey stepped up. "I'm Rey, ma'am."

"Ah, yes. The roster has you down as Rey Rey. Do you have identical first and last names, or is that an error?"

Blushing, she hastened to explain, "Oh, I… don't actually have a last name."

Holdo raised a curious eyebrow.

"It's a long story. I usually use Smith, but the online form wasn't clear, and I couldn't figure out how to go back, so-"

The professor held up her hand. "Nevermind. I'll simply call you Rey, if that's alright."

Nodding rapidly, relieved there wasn't an issue with her scholarship or GPA or any of the other things that she imagined, she spun around without looking and smacked face-first into the chest of the boy behind her.

Looking up, (and up. And up. Damn he was tall.) Rey started to apologize. "Oh my God, I am so sorr-"

The boy spared her a glance, then waved two fingers at her to signal silence.

Rey's jaw dropped at his blatant rudeness. "Well excuse me." she muttered, rejoining Finn slowly so she could hear what Holdo had to say to him.

"Now, Ben. It says here your name is Kylo Ren?" Holdo gave him an incredulous look. "... Really?"

"That is my name." He told her in a low tone.

"Ben…" Rey watched curiously as the professor rubbed her forehead, then sighed as Kylo set his jaw stubbornly. "I know it's not my place, but your mother is-"

"I don't have a mother." He interrupted with a scowl. "And it's not your place."

Holdo shook her head after a few moments. "Fine. Kylo Ren it is."

Giving her a curt nod, he turned on his heel and stalked out.

"Well he's weird." Finn announced definitively as Rey nodded in agreement.

Rude, weird, whatever. One random guy was not going to ruin the first step towards achieving her dream.

…

"Pay attention, boys and girls. Today is the day you've all been waiting for: partner assignments. You will work with your partner for the entire course on a variety of mock trial cases. To be fair, you will be paired up alphabetically."

The class murmured as everyone looked around, Finn wishing out loud he had learned more people's names, and Poe hoping there was an odd number and he'd have to work with Holdo for assignments.

"Kaydel Connix and Poe Dameron."

All three turned in their seats to see a brunette with her hair done in petite side buns waving at Poe, who immediately flashed her a charming grin.

"Even numbers are good too." He commented as Rey and Finn rolled their eyes.

"Kylo Ren and Rey."

Rey suddenly dropped her book, causing everyone except Kylo to stare at her. He completely ignored her, which felt worse, somehow.

A few more names passed, then Finn gripped her hand as Holdo called out, "Rose Tico and Finn Tuwon."

After realizing his partner was in the front row, Finn gave a weak smile and wave at the blushing Asian girl.

Poe elbowed him with a smirk, "Dude, she's cute! Good for you!"

Finn shoved his elbow away with a blush of his own.

Once she finished reading names, Holdo continued, "Now that everyone is paired up, please go meet your partner. Be sure to exchange contact information, as this will be a class with copious extracurricular demands."

She fixed the class with an imposing glare. "I wish I didn't have to say this, but any abuse of a person's contact information, such as stalking or harassment, will earn you a one-way ticket to the dean's office. Am I clear?"

There was a chorus of murmured assent.

"Good. You may begin."

Poe eyed Rey's partner. "Well, good luck with Count Dorkula."

That made Rey smile, at least. "Thanks," she told him as he slid across the last desk to greet the attractive brunette.

Taking a moment to close her eyes and center herself, Rey tried to be positive as she made her way to Kylo Ren's desk.

"Hi! I'm Rey." She offered her hand brightly.

"Obviously." He muttered, barely deigning to give her a glance.

Biting back a sigh, she sat down in the seat next to him, twisting her ring in an attempt to calm her anxiety.

"I heard your dad's a pilot. What does he fly?"

"Nothing. I don't have a father."

Rey frowned. "Oh. I guess I heard wrong." Glancing around enviously at the other pairs chatting away, (Poe was doing his best roguish smirk and Finn and Rose were both nodding so hard she was afraid their heads might roll off), she cast around for a new topic. "So, what practice are you thinking of going into?"

Kylo stared sullenly at his desk instead of giving a response.

After several moments of silence, Rey tried, "I'm going into family law. It's more than just catty divorces, there are a lot of complex issues and actual court dates, rather than just paperwork. And I think that's where I can really make a difference. What about you?"

"Corporate law." He muttered shortly.

Rey wrinkled her nose in distaste. "What? Why?"

He apparently didn't feel like answering, so eventually Rey rolled her eyes and dug around her bag for her phone.

"Well, I guess we should exchange numbers?"

"Look, I don't need-" He stopped his rant suddenly.

"What." He pointed at the thick rectangle gingerly, as to avoid contamination. "Is that."

Rey glanced down. "It's my phone."

"It's a relic."

"It's reliable!"

Half her screen froze as she tried to open her contacts, derailing her argument somewhat.

Kylo raised a judgemental eyebrow. "It belongs in a museum."

"I repaired this thing myself, so trust me, it works." Crowing in triumph as the address book finally opened, she opened a new screen quickly.

"Just type your number in and-."

"I know how to do it," he snapped, grabbing her phone and reluctantly handing over the newest model in exchange. Rey wondered if this version was even out yet as he flicked up the lock screen, but not before she saw the notifications.

 _1 missed call Mom Office_

 _1 missed call Mom Cell_

 _1 new voicemail from Mom Cell_

 _Text from Mom Cell: Hello sweetheart, it's your Dad's birthday tomorr..._

"Fine, Oscar." She muttered, squashing that twinge of jealousy that always reared up when watching people with their families. Especially people who pretended they didn't have families.

He actually met her gaze for the first time, brow furrowed in confusion. "Oscar?"

"The Grouch." She elaborated, wondering what kid didn't watch Sesame Street. Even most of her foster homes had the show on, so he had no excuse. "Green? Lives in a trash can?"

He frowned. "Of all the people here, I'm not the one who looks like they live in garbage."

A furious blush crawled up her neck as she fought the urge to check if there was dirt on her face. Childish voices at school shouting variations of the same insult echoed in her mind until she shouted, "At least I'm not a pretentious ass!"

He slid the phone over with a single gloved finger. "Look, I've taken this course before, and the last thing I need is some bleeding-heart girl on a naive crusade to save the world."

With that parting insult, the bell rang, and he swirled away in his wool coat in a fashion Rey thought was unnecessarily dramatic.

She scrambled to her feet and followed his tall silhouette into the hallway, ignoring Poe's shouts of her name and shoving the other students until she reached him.

"Hey!"

He turned and looked genuinely surprised to see her, as if she shouldn't exist outside of class.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" She demanded a little breathlessly. (Damn him and his ridiculously long legs.)

"What gives you the _right_ to call me naive? You don't even know me!"

"I know your type."

"My _type?!"_

"Sure. You're here because you think you can fix the world." Mockery underlined his every word. "You think the system is broken and it's hurting people."

"The system _is_ broken and it _is_ hurting people!" Rey shouted, furious that this stranger was so cavalier about the dream that had given her hope for so long. Maybe no one had helped her, but she could do something, save someone.

And this… this… jackass was laughing at her!

He snorted derisively. "Right. And you know because you were one of them?" Taking in her second hand clothes, her worn out shoes, how angry she was, he shook his head. "Let me guess. You're a former foster kid with a sad sob story, going to law school so you can help all the good little boys and girls in the system." His lip curled into a sneer. "How predictable."

He started to walk away again, but Rey darted in front of him, shaking in anger.

"How _dare_ you. What the hell happened to you to make you such a bastard? At least you have a family!"

"Like you'd know anything about families."

Her anger turned to cold fury. "I know enough about yours, _Ben Solo_."

She felt a blaze of gratification as he flinched at the name.

"I know that you couldn't hack it at a school run by your own uncle. I know that your mom's a senator and your dad is famous and you don't want anything to do with them, so you changed your name to something stupid so that people wouldn't know. Well guess what, _Ben_ ,"

His hands curled into fists at his side, but Rey was too furious to care.

"Your family is part of who you are, and you'll never escape that. And you think you have it _so hard,_ " she tried to mimic his mocking drawl on the last two words, "but let me tell you that some people dream of having a family that gives a damn."

She drew herself up to her full height (which was still half a foot shorter than him), and spat out, "I may be predictable, but you're _pathetic."_

Silence fell between them, tension mounting until he finally spoke in a low, cutting tone.

"At least I'm not a nothing from nowhere. With no one."

Her ears rang, and without thinking, she flung her arm out and slapped him.

It wasn't until she saw blood trickling down his cheek that she realized she had turned her ring around so the small fake gems were facing her palm, and had left a long, thin cut along the right side of his face.

Kylo reached up to touch the cut with a single finger, turning it to examine the blood, then met her eyes with frightening intensity.

"I could have you charged with assault." He threatened, taking a sizeable step towards her.

Before she could decide to stand her ground or flee, Finn and Poe swung in front of her.

"You'd have to go through me first, Hot Topic." Poe growled while Finn checked her over for injuries.

"C'mon Rey, let's go." Finn said, drawing her away gently, trying to calm her ragged breaths.

Poe brought up the rear, glaring at Kylo as if daring him to try something.

Rey looked back once, saw him still towering over everyone, watching her with an unreadable expression as the line of dark red marked his face.

Turning away, she hissed spitefully, "He's a monster and I hate him."

Poe patted her back. "If it's any comfort, sunshine, I think the feeling's mutual. What?" He asked as Finn elbowed him sharply.

As they walked back to the small apartment, there was one thought clear in Rey's mind.

Kylo Ren was the absolute worst.

And tomorrow she was going to convince Holdo to let her partner with somebody - anybody - else.


	2. Innocent Until Proven Guilty

_Ei incumbit probatio qui dicit: "Proof lies on him who asserts." - The concept that one is innocent until proven guilty._

* * *

"So, to review, these are the four conceptual dimensions of any legal problem: goals, facts, rules, and context. The last ten minutes will be spent with your partner going over the mock trial case that was handed out earlier. You may begin."

Rey screeched towards the front as Rose, who Finn had invited to sit with them, waved and called out, "It was so nice to meet you!"

She waved behind her in acknowledgement (because it was really nice to meet Rose. She was incredibly sweet and almost as nice as Finn. A tiny part of her muttered that it wasn't fair that everyone else got amazing partners and she was stuck with a brooding douchebag.) as she ran down the stairs to Holdo's desk.

"Professor Holdo!" The older woman looked up from her papers with a raised eyebrow. "I need a new partner."

Holdo's eyes flicked up to where Kylo was slouched in his seat, arms crossed, watching them both with a baleful look. "Did something happen to your old one?" She asked wryly, noticing the black bandaid on Kylo's cheekbone.

Rey tried not to blush. "No. I just… need to work with someone else. Anyone else."

"And why would that be?"

After a few seconds of trying to come up with an appropriate answer, Rey finally blurted out, "Because he's a pretentious ass!"

Holdo looked over at Kylo again with an inquisitive head tilt. Rey turned around in time to see Kylo shrug half-heartedly in a way that indicated he did not disagree.

Sighing, Holdo gave Rey a small, sympathetic smile. "Unfortunately, Ms. Rey, the legal profession is brimming with… how did you put it? Pretentious asses. Learning to work with them is an essential part of any lawyer's career. I wish it weren't so, but there it is."

Sputtering, Rey cast around for some kind of protest. "But, I…"

"Unless there is something we need to report to the school, such as harassment or assault, there's very little I can do. Now, has there been any harassment or assault?" She asked, glancing at Kylo's injury once more.

Rey colored, then shook her head.

"Very well. If someone else comes looking for a new partner, I will let you know. But until then, you'll have to make do."

Rey clenched her jaw, nodded in acknowledgement, then stormed over to where Kylo was sitting.

"I assume your tantrum did not have its desired effect?" He asked with a hint of smug amusement.

"Where the hell did you find a black band-aid?" Rey snapped back. "Did you color it in with a sharpie because you thought it'd look cooler?"

After a few moments of glaring at each other, they both sat back and sorted through the papers in a uneasy truce.

"We need to plan a time to practice our arguments." Kylo stated reluctantly, skimming through the case.

"Okay. What about tonight, at the library?"

He gave her a look like she had asked if the sky was purple. "Have you reserved a study room?"

"... no. I thought they were free to use?"

"Yes, for the whole school to use. Fourth years get priority, everyone else fights it out."

"What about Starbucks?"

"Somewhere we can argue, not support hipsters and overpriced coffee." He sneered.

Rey grit her teeth. "Fine. I guess we can practice at my place."

"Will it be quiet?"

"I mean, I've got two roommates and a dog, but we can make it work. It's not that loud."

He frowned in distaste. "No."

Clenching her jaw, Rey forced her shoulders to relax. "Fine. Do you have a better option?"

Kylo pinched the bridge of his nose as if he was feeling considerably put upon, then scrawled on a piece of paper and shoved it at her.

"6 pm. Be prepared and punctual."

With that, he swirled away as the bell rang, giving her overdramatic deja vu.

"Ughhhhh." Rey groaned as Poe and Finn came up. "I give up. Turns out the impossible part of law school is not the school, or the laws, it's the other wannabe lawyers. Student loans have take-backs, right?"

Poe laughed and bumped her shoulder as they walked out. "Tall, dark, and douchey still giving you trouble?"

"Do you know if there are any study rooms available in the library?"

Finn shook his head. "I checked yesterday and got the last one. I'm sure Rose and I can share it with you! Or you can practice at home-"

"Whoa, hey, I call dibs on the apartment. Me and Miss Kaydel are having a study session tonight, and I'm working on laying serious groundwork." He winked at both of them as they rolled their eyes.

"Well, you can still share with us." Finn offered, and Rey had a sudden vision of the two nicest people she knew sitting in the same room as the worst one.

"No, it's fine. I'll figure it out. I'm pretty sure he doesn't have any friends, so at least his place will be quiet."

"Wait! You're going over to his place?" Finn grabbed her arm in concern. "Alone?! Rey, never go with a predator to a second location!"

"First, he's a prick, not a predator. Second, I wasn't going to go alone."

She grinned at Poe, who looked confused, then suddenly smiled back. "Oh, I like this plan. It's brilliant, sunshine."

…

Rey knocked on the shiny black door at 6:03 pm.

"Finally." Kylo snapped as he opened the door. "Do you even own a watch, or do you just look at the sun and gues-"

He stopped suddenly, then looked down.

"What." He pointed at Rey's feet. "Is that thing."

"This is BB-8. Say hello, BB!"

The orange and white corgi barked in response, tilting his head as if deciding what he thought of this tall other human.

"No, no, no. I don't do dogs." Kylo protested. "Tie it up outside or something, but it cannot come in-"

Rey reached down and unclipped the leash. "Oops!" She apologized insincerely as the dog immediately bolted inside. "He's so slippery!"

Kylo glared at her as she pushed past him.

"So you got anything to eat, or what?" She made it halfway into the townhouse before stopping suddenly, dropping her bag on the floor. "What the- is this a spaceship?"

"What? No." Kylo frowned, gingerly moving her bag from the floor to the coffee table at arm's length.

"Everything in here is shiny and black. Looks like a spaceship to me."

"Well, it's not a spaceship, it's my home. Which I like to keep clean." He added in distaste as one of BB-8's chewed up tennis balls rolled out of her messenger bag, leaving a trail of saliva behind.

"Cool! Let's get some snacks and get cracking."

"We're studying, not eating."

"You can't focus without food!" Rey called out, rifling through his cabinets. "Hey! Why do you only have spices and six tubs of… what the heck is whey protein?"

"Stay out of my stuff!" Kylo shouted, going for threatening, but actually sounding like a petulant teenager.

"Where are your good snacks?" Rey asked, ignoring him as she opened the fridge, BB-8 circling her in excitement. "You just have crap like eggs and fish. Do you have any Cheetos?"

"Since I am not five years old, no." He snapped. "If you're done violating my privacy, can we start practicing the arguments?"

"Fine. I'll order pizza. Geez." Rolling her eyes, Rey stepped over the bouncing corgi with the ease of long practice and reached into her bag for her laptop.

Kylo did not have the same skill, and nearly tripped over the dog multiple times as BB-8 darted through his legs. "Can you control your mutt?"

"First, he's a corgi, not a mutt. Educate yourself. Second, he's my roommate's, not mine. And third, what makes you think I can control him?"

"Because if you don't," He growled through his teeth, "both of you are going outside this instant."

Rey waved her hand in warning at the same time BB-8's ears perked up at the word 'outside'. He ran to grab his leash from the floor, then brought it to Kylo, bouncing and barking incessantly.

Stifling a laugh at Kylo's face as he tried to brush off the slobbery leash without touching it, Rey shook her head and called out, "B, chill."

The corgi stopped suddenly and tilted his head at her.

"Why don't you hang out for a bit, and then we'll go for a walk after."

BB-8 gave a single yip in agreement, then jumped onto the large plush couch in the living room, circled twice, then laid down with a slight huff.

Kylo looked back and forth, then started, "Not the couch-"

"For the love of- can we start or what?" Rey rolled her eyes as she opened her laptop.

He sat down at the table slowly, staring at her computer. "So, do you have something against technology from this decade?" He peered at how thick the laptop was, then added, "Or this century?"

"Hey! I built Speedy myself, okay? She may be not be as shiny or skinny as yours, but she's got it where it counts."

Pulling out the case info, she read the title, "State vs. Freeman. Sam Freeman is accused of murdering his partner Kaity Frost. She had a history of gambling and embezzlement, borrowed money from a loanshark and from the business, then was found in a freezer, dead. Freeman would get half a million dollars from insurance in case of her death. You and your partner are assigned the role of the plaintiff's advocates."

She shrugged at Kylo. "Seems pretty straightforward to me. Freeman has both motive and means."

"Look, I know you're new at this, but we need to prove that he actually caused her death and-"

"That he acted intentionally, I know. I'm just saying, it makes sense." She interrupted with a frown. "I _do_ know what I'm doing."

Kylo harrumphed, but started highlighting sections of the witness statements. "Alright. Let's say you do. Are we arguing for manslaughter or second-degree murder?"

Rey straightened at the challenge in his tone. "It depends. Can we prove that he was under extreme emotional duress?"

They were in the middle of a spirited debate when the doorbell rang an hour later.

"Finally! Pizza!" Rey shouted, scattering papers everywhere as she ran to open the door. She grabbed the box from the delivery guy, then jerked her thumb at Kylo as she stuffed a piece of Hawaiian in her mouth. "Hill fign f' it."

"Uh…" The teenager stared. "What?"

Rey shoved Kylo at the door and swallowed. "Sign and tip the guy!"

"Why me?" He asked as he took the proffered pen, then did a double take at the receipt. He scribbled on it, then slammed the door as the delivery guy wished them a good night.

"Why is my name on this?" He demanded in a dangerous tone.

"Hmm?" Rey looked up, in the middle of her third slice. "Oh, because it's your credit card."

"Where did you get my credit card?" He growled.

"You left it out!"

"No I didn't!"

She shrugged defensively. "Basically. Your wallet was on the counter."

"You stole from me!"

"No I didn't! You're going to eat some of it anyway! What's the big-"

He pointed to the door forebodingly. "Out."

Rey blinked. "What?"

"Out!"

"Fine!" She shouted back, shoving her belongings into her worn canvas bag.

"If you ever steal from me again-" He was interrupted by a low growl from the couch, where BB-8 was baring his teeth in warning.

"I didn't steal from you!" She spat out. "C'mon BB-8."

The corgi hopped off the couch and joined Rey at the door, snarling at Kylo the whole way.

"Then where's my card?"

"It's in your wallet. Ass!" She yelled, then slammed the door behind her.

As Rey marched back to her apartment, she muttered angrily to BB-8 as he kept in anxious pace.

"... met such an outrageous dick in all my life. I was going to give him money for half of it!"

BB-8 barked in response.

"Okay, fine, maybe not half, but I was going to give him the five bucks I have! That's something, anyway. But no, he thinks I'm a petty criminal who doesn't have a clue about how to argue a case. Such a douchenozzle."

Suddenly, she heard a small, tinny voice coming from her pocket. "What?" It asked in a tired, irritated voice.

Frowning, she pulled out her phone in confusion. "What?"

After a second too long of staring at Kylo's scowl framed by her screen, Rey realized that she had somehow accidentally FaceTimed the last person she wanted to talk to.

" _What?!"_ She yelped, then stabbed at the red button repeatedly until the screen went dark.

"You are getting rewired the second we get home!" She shook her finger at her phone before putting it back in her pocket.

"Ar-roo." BB-8 whined.

"Well, this day clearly can't get any worse."

As if on cue, thunder rumbled as it started to rain.

The corgi sneezed, then glanced pitifully at Rey with his ears back.

"Yeah, okay, that one's on me." She admitted as she held up her bag for protection from the elements.

As they both jogged back to the apartment, Rey fervently hoped that this wasn't an omen for the rest of the year.

"Tomorrow will be better." She chanted to herself, as if she was still back in the system, and the power of her hope would somehow make a difference in the world.


	3. Most Abundant Faith

_Uberrima fides: "most abundant faith" - Concept in contract law specifying that all parties must act with the utmost good faith._

* * *

Rey loved her roommates, she really did.

Poe was practically a saint, letting both of them stay when his Craigslist ad only asked for one roommate.

" _You should just take the room." Rey told Finn again as they walked up the flight of stairs._

" _I told you, Peanut, it's all or nothing." He nodded in resolve, and Rey squeezed his hand in silent thanks before knocking on apartment 138._

" _You must be Finn and Rey," A dark-haired Latino man answered with a smile. "Poe Dameron."_

 _They all shook hands as he invited them inside._

" _So," Poe said, gesturing broadly. "We've got the kitchen, and living room, and the bathroom's the middle door there. Like I said, it's only got two bedrooms, and I had a bad experience with dating roommates, so there's not really room for a third-"_

 _A small ball of orange and white zoomed out of the leftmost doorway, circling all of them rapidly and letting out frantic high-pitched barks as it paused to jump up on the visitors._

" _Sorry, that's BB-8. He doesn't bite, but he does get very excited. Hey! No! Down!" Poe commanded, which had zero effect in slowing down the furry tornado._

" _Cht!" Rey snapped her fingers and held out an authoritative hand. The corgi suddenly froze, then sat obediently, wagging his stub tail at lightning speed._

" _Who's a good boy? Who's so smart and so beautiful? You are!" She cooed at him, kneeling down and rubbing his face and tummy as he flipped over, tongue lolling out in pure happiness._

 _The boys watched in shock for a few moments._

" _Wow. Okay." Poe shrugged. "Forget what I said earlier. You're in."_

" _Really?!" Rey squealed._

" _Thank you, thank you, thank you." Finn gushed, shaking Poe's hand enthusiastically._

" _Alright, alright. But I gotta ask, what's the deal here?" He pointed between the two of them. "Dating? Exes? Just friends?"_

" _We're family." Finn said definitively, which warmed Rey's heart, but she could see it only increased Poe's confusion._

" _We're foster siblings." Rey clarified with a smile._

 _Poe grinned in relief. "Oh! Got it. Like I said, I had a really bad experience with my previous roommates. Friends to dating to exes multiple times. In one year."_

 _Both Rey and Finn winced. "Ouch."_

" _Yeah. It was a bad time for everyone, huh, buddy?" He asked BB-8, who snorted, then squinted at them. "So, do you have a solution for where everyone's sleeping, or…?"_

" _As a matter of fact, we do." Rey told him, hoping that they had already built up enough good will to ask for a favor._

 _And so, Poe had hauled an insanely heavy sleeper couch up the stairs with them, ("Broken and free", the ad had stated, "just get it out of my house yourself and bring some powerlifters because this thing is heavier than frickin' Mjolnir"), shouting "Pivot!" in his best Ross impersonation until Rey tossed her keys at his head._

 _She had insisted Finn take the other bedroom, replaced the missing spring with one scavenged from the community dumpster, fixed the fold-out mechanism, and sprayed the squeaking metal as soon as they got it into the apartment. As she figured out why the fridge was rattling ("Compressor fan blade was bent!"), stopped the constant drip in the bathroom sink ("Washer was out of place!"), and stabilized the wobbling doorknob ("Faceplate screws got loose!"), Poe stared in a mixture of awe and astonishment._

" _Is she always this… competent?" He asked softly._

" _Always." Finn answered, then added in a whisper, "Plus, she really wants you to like us."_

" _I liked you guys the second BB-8 asked her for tummy rubs. After all this, I might be in love."_

 _Finn frowned protectively until Poe elbowed him and laughed._

" _Kidding!" He tilted his head as Rey spun her crescent wrench and dove into the kitchen cabinets. "Although…"_

 _Finn shoved him and Poe shoved back until Rey shouted at one of them to hand her a flat-head screwdriver._

And of course she loved Finn, because… he was Finn.

 _Twelve-year old Rey froze as she heard soft footsteps coming down the hall. The footsteps slowed, then she pressed herself against the wall as the door started to creak open. She narrowed her eyes at the lanky African-American boy who was making his way towards the computer she had just finished repairing._

 _She waited until he was reaching out to touch it, then spun the broom in her hand and whacked him in the side. When he turned around in surprise, she stuck the handle in between his feet and swept his left leg out from under him. She didn't duck fast enough, though and his foot caught her full on the side of her head with a wild kick. Once he landed hard on his back, the wind knocked out of him, she jabbed the handle at his face in a threatening manner._

" _Okay, who are you and why are you trying to steal my stuff? Did that bastard Simon put you up to this?"_

 _He wheezed and raised his hands in surrender, fear apparent in his eyes._

" _Finn? What was that thump I heard?" Mashra's voice echoed down the hall, and when she came into the room, Finn was sitting cross-legged and Rey was attempting to lean casually against the wall, broom innocently resting in the corner._

 _Mashra frowned, then looked between the two of them. "Why are you sitting on the floor? What was that noise?"_

 _Rey glanced at Finn, biting her lip anxiously as she waited for him to answer._

" _Uh, nothing." Finn told Mashra. "I mean, I tripped. That's all."_

" _Oh." She turned to Rey, who quickly plastered on a smile. "Rey, this is our new recruit. Finn, say hello to Rey."_

" _We met." Finn said after a moment, then they waited awkwardly until Mashra left to go yell at some of the other kids in the next room._

 _Finn stood slowly, brushing himself off as Rey rubbed her ear and winced at the forming bruise._

" _Sorry about that," She told him. "I thought you were trying to steal my stuff." Self-consciously, she retrieved the broom and started sweeping as she talked. "The other kids do it a lot."_

" _Oh." Rey watched him process that information. "Sorry."_

 _She shrugged. "It's not your fault."_

" _Still shouldn't happen." Rey's head snapped up at that, as Finn blushed a little and gestured to her ear. "And sorry about the kick. Are you okay?"_

 _Rey blinked and stared at him._

" _What?" He asked finally._

" _Nothing. It's just… no one's ever asked me that before."_

 _It was Finn's turn to look at her in surprise. "Really? Haven't you ever had any friends?"_

 _Rey stared at the floor and shook her head._

 _Finn furrowed his brows in resolve. "Well, you do now."_

 _He stuck out his hand, then waited for her to meet his gaze. "Friends?"_

 _Her brown eyes flicked from his hand to his face, before she broke into a wide smile._

 _Shaking his hand, she nodded firmly, "Friends."_

 _From that moment on, her entire world shifted. She had known about friends and family, had seen the way the sets of siblings fought and protected each other, remembered vague impressions of her own parents (they had dark hair, and her mother maybe had green eyes?), but she had always watched them from the outside, as an observer._

 _But now, she could talk to someone besides her pile of unfinished projects, and Finn actually answered her. She taught him how to evade punches and Frankesteined him a new graphing calculator out of two dead ones and a defunct VCR. He held her hand when kids called them names and told her stories to chase away her nightmares. They were guardians of each other's secrets, a bulwark against the ever-changing tide of new homes and rooms and faces._

 _The day Finn refused to leave until the case worker took Rey with them ("She's my family! You don't leave family!") was the first time she had cried since her parents left her._

 _(No one had ever_ claimed _her like that. Like she meant something. Meant anything.)_

So again, she really, really, loved her roommates.

But some days she could kill for some space to call her own.

Which is why she was hiding out on the fire escape, staring at the stars and trying to ignore the sounds of Call of Duty blaring behind her.

"Where are you?"

Rey rolled her eyes and didn't answer. Of course this would happen now.

"Why do you keep calling me if you're just going to curse or ignore me?"

"It's not me. It's my phone." She said, still looking at the sky.

"Sure. 'Your phone' accidentally FaceTimes people."

"Not everyone. Just iPhones."

Kylo scoffed. "Right. So, what, only twenty people a day?"

"No. Just you. Finn and Poe have droids."

There was a confused pause, then "Wait. That wasn't a glitch on your phone? You only have five contacts?"

"Six now."

"What are the other three?"

"Non-emergency police line, school office, and my old case worker's office."

"Oh."

She watched the clouds slowly change shape as they passed in front of the moon.

"Where are you? I can't see anything."

"Outside. Stargazing."

"People still do that?"

"Apparently."

"Why?"

Rey thought for a minute, then asked, "Didn't you ever look at the stars and wonder if there was a whole other galaxy out there? A different world, filled with different people, living their own lives somewhere else?"

She could almost hear his brows furrow. "Not really."

"I did. All the time. I imagined where it was, what it looked like… what if I were there. Somewhere else, far far away."

They both sat in silence, then he slowly replied, "The stars always felt cold to me. Distant. Traces of light left over from something that's already dead."

"Wow. Anyone ever tell you that you're kind of a downer?"

It could have just been static, but Rey swore that he let out a ghost of a laugh. "Yeah."

She flexed her cold fingers, then kept her eyes fixed on the moon and said, "Sorry about the credit card thing."

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him blink in surprise on her screen.

"It was a joke, which is why I put the card back and told you about it. I was going to pay you back for some of it," She mumbled the next part, "although it's not like you can't afford it."

She took a long breath, then continued, "but I shouldn't have done it."

There was no response, and Rey was beginning to think he had hung up when she heard, "Well. Next time we study together, will you keep your hands to yourself?"

"Depends. Will you feed me?"

"Fine."

"Then yes. All your belongings will stay where they are."

"Good." He shifted awkwardly, then grumbled, "It's late. Normal people are asleep at this hour."

"Okay. Night."

"... Goodnight." He replied stiffly, then the small beep from her phone told her he was gone.

She wondered why that exchange felt so odd, then chuckled to herself as she realized it was the most civil conversation they had ever had.

"Maybe we're in a different universe after all." She told the stars, glimmering brightly with hope in the darkness.


	4. Quid Pro Quo

_quid pro quo: "this for that" - An equal exchange of goods or services, or of money (or other consideration of equal value) for some goods or services._

* * *

Rey knocked "Shave and a Haircut" on Kylo's door at 5:48 pm, and watched him open it with an ill-concealed look of surprise.

"You're early." He said suspiciously.

She shrugged. "Well, that's what happens when you look at the sun and guess."

He at least had the good grace to flush a bit at that as he let her in.

"No bearer of dandruff and drool tonight?"

"Well, you haven't turned out to be a serial killer yet, so I decided to give you a pass tonight."

"Lucky me." He commented wryly.

"Plus BB-8 went on a 5K run with Poe this morning. He's been asleep all day."

"Lucky him."

"Alright! Where's the food?" She asked, rubbing her hand together in anticipation.

He gestured to the bowl in the middle of the table. "Over there."

She zipped over faster than the speed of light, then stopped in the midst of taking her jacket off. "What is this?"

"They're carrots."

"No, I know what they are. I want to know where the real snacks are."

"That's it."

"No, no. Real food. Like Funions."

"That is real food. Fried salt is not."

Rey shrugged her jacket back on. "Maybe if you're a giraffe." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Although that might explain your unreasonable height."

Before he could respond to that, she found the door to the hall closet. "Aha! Okay, which coat do you want to wear, the black one, the black one, or the really really dark gray one?"

"What? Why?"

"There's a gas station right down the street. We can get provisions there."

"We have food here!"

"Nuh-uh." Rey wagged her finger at him. "You promised me real food. Not orange dirt sticks."

"I promised to feed you in exchange for you not stealing from me." He pointed to the carrots. "That is food, and thus satisfies the agreement."

"I am not a rabbit, ergo, rabbit food is not Rey food, ergo, you are in breach of contract." She tossed him a black coat and rolled her eyes at his glare. "Look, we go, we get food, we come back. It'll take five minutes."

He gave an aggravated growl, then put on his coat and stomped to the door. "Fine. But we're going to an actual grocery store." Rey beamed at him and bounced outside as he muttered, "Who the hell shops at a gas station?"

Kylo regretted his decision the second they stepped foot inside. Rey zoomed down the aisles of candy and chips, holding bags in her arms and under her chin and in her teeth until he reluctantly traded his basket for a cart, feeling like a suburban soccer mom.

Horrified at her choices, he tried to balance the sugar and sodium with a lecture about nutrition supplemented by arugula, avocados, salmon, and rice. Rey listened with enthusiastic nods, then piled more Doritos into the cart.

Fifty dollars and a solemn vow from Rey that she would never complain about the lack of snacks ever again later, they returned to his townhouse. Kylo grumbled about the plastic handles cutting off his circulation, while Rey carried four bags on each arm and shouted, "Second trips are for the weak!"

"As the lead investigator on this case, Detective Riggs, can you confirm that the freezer containing the deceased was locked?" Rey practiced as Kylo unlocked the door.

"Good. He confirms it. Then?"

"And is it true that the only people who possessed keys to the restaurant and the freezer were the deceased and…" She paused dramatically, then pointed accusingly at the lamp. " _The defendant?!_ Dun-dun-dunnnn."

"You've watched too much television."

"No such thing." She answered, ripping open the Flamin' Hot Cheetos and stuffing a handful in her mouth. "Want some?"

"Not if it was the last food on Earth."

"Aha!" Rey turned her dramatic point on him. "So you admit it is food!"

He rolled his eyes as he tried to save his copy of the case from her bright red fingerprints.

"And if they bring up the fact that the decreased used bacon to spell out an 'I', with another strip in her hands, indicating she was attempting to make an 'L' in an effort to implicate the loanshark Lou Contralto?"

"First, I ask my co-counselor if he has any bacon, because now I really want bacon. Also waffles. With maple-"

"Focus." He commanded from the kitchen.

"Detective, isn't it just as likely that the deceased could have been attempting to create an 'F'? Possibly for 'Freeman'? A simple arrangement of delicious potential breakfast foods should not negate the overwhelming evidence of- what smells so good?"

"I'm making salmon and rice." Kylo glanced up to see Rey watching him with wide, pitiful eyes. "For myself." He stated defensively, moving the spices closer to his end of the counter.

"Oh." She said in a small voice, staring at the fish with an odd mixture of longing and… was that fear?

 _Who would be afraid of food?_ He wondered with a frown, then a small voice that sounded suspiciously like his younger self answered.

 _Someone who hasn't had enough of it._

He peeked over at her, then mumbled an inaudible curse. It was the fear that got to him. That childish, haunting fear.

Sighing heavily, he asked in a drawn-put, exasperated tone, "Would you like some?"

Her eyes lit up and soon she was scarfing down the fillets he had planned for the rest of the week. He counted it a small victory that some of the salad he made got accidentally scooped up with the fish and rice.

At the end of the night, Rey glowed as he begrudgingly conceded they had made some progress on their case.

"Awesome! Thanks for the snacks!" She told him as she packed up her bookbag.

He was about to comment about how the 'snacks' were more like six meals' worth of food, but bit his tongue when he saw her squirrelling away a few bags next to her laptop.

"Whatever." He muttered instead.

"See you in class!" Rey shouted behind her as she closed the door.

Kylo oddly found himself not quite loathing the idea.

* * *

"So, Mr. Contralto, you're absolutely sure-"

(Rey thought she heard a high-pitched beep, but Kylo kept talking over it, so she shrugged and propped up her chin in her hand.)

"-you saw Mr. Freeman brandishing a knife at Ms. Frost the night of the 20th?" Kylo asked as he paced the length of his dining room.

(The beep was definitely coming from something in the kitchen. Mystery solved, she tried to keep her eyes open. Kylo had been extra irritable tonight, and snoring during his cross-examination practice probably wouldn't help his mood.)

"Yes." Rey read, half-asleep and totally bored. "There was a security light-"

(Beep)

"-that beams directly over the back kitchen door to the restaurant that clearly-"

(Beep)

Kylo suddenly grabbed the wooden fruit bowl on the table and flung it against the wall, startling Rey awake and out of her chair, ready to fight or flee in a single motion.

"What the hell?!" She shouted once her heart stopped trying to leap out of her chest.

"That damn thing has been beeping nonstop for two days!" He yelled back, running his hands through his hair. "I'm one second away from tearing it apart with my bare hands if it doesn't stop making that infernal-"

(Beep)

Rey slapped his hand away from her laptop. "Don't you dare, Destructo. You can't go chucking things across the room just because your coffeemaker is on the fritz."

"It's an espresso machine, and it cost more than your entire tuition!"

"Wow. Someone got ripped off." She commented, then held up a hand as he started to lunge for her in anger. "Hold it right there, or I will brain you with Speedy." Raising her thick laptop to drive home the point, Kylo slumped into a chair and folded his arms angrily.

"Okay, I assume you've tried to fix it?" Rey asked as she set the computer back on the table.

"Of course I've tried to fix it! I'm not an idiot! I was on hold with IT for two hours yesterday and those worthless morons did nothing."

Rey snorted. "You have IT for your coffee maker?"

"It's not a coffee maker, it's a Fulminatrix Mandator IV-class Dread-"

"Yeah yeah yeah. It's a very fancy coffee maker." She squinted at the elaborate set-up. "This thing is like two feet long, and is this a touch screen? Talk about overkill." After checking the settings, Rey let out a thoughtful, "Hmm. No error message. Let's open you up and take a look, okay?"

Kylo stood suddenly. "Hey, what are you doing?"

"Shhhh." She peered around until she found the motherboard. "Bloody hell, I've seen supercomputers less complicated than this. Okay, the soldering points look good, so it's not a connection issue. Is something else bothering you?"

He frowned as he came into the kitchen. "Do you know what you're doing?"

"Mm-hmm." She responded absently. "Heating element is fine, and the reservoir isn't leaking. Oo, ceramic grinders! Impressive! Thermal fuse and bimetal switch aren't worn." Rey tilted her head. "So what's wrong, buddy? Huh? Talk to me."

The machine beeped again as Rey replaced the cover and stared at it thoughtfully. Kylo watched her with an unreadable expression while she checked the machine from all angles, gently running her finger along the edges.

"Aha!" Kylo jumped as Rey pumped her fist and opened up the top of the reservoir. "The spring is out of place! The locking mechanism latches, but the lid doesn't actually close. No wonder you were confused, bud." She turned around. "Do you have some tweezers somewhere?"

He fetched them from the bathroom and handed them over, silently observing her deft hands as she eased the spring back into the fittings.

She clicked the lid open and shut a few times, then turned to him with a wide smile. "Alright! That should do it!"

Raising a dubious eyebrow, he asked, "Really? It's fixed?"

As she reached around to unplug it, she grinned at him. "Only one way to find out!"

The machine powered back up, and they both waited a few moments, Rey giving him a bright smile as it stayed silent. "See?"

"Huh." He said finally, then pulled out his phone and tapped the screen a few times. There was a slight whirring noise, then a stream of coffee and milk poured into the small cup underneath.

"Whoa! It's got bluetooth?" Rey grabbed his arm to steady herself as she peered at his phone.

He pulled away suddenly, tips of his ears going red. "Yes. And pre-set drinks. That's why it's a Fulminatrix, not a coffee maker."

"Cool! Let me see!"

Before he could react, his phone was in her hands and she had found the list of pre-programmed drinks. "Oo, a latte macchiato! I don't know what that is, but it sounds delicious!"

As she tapped the 'Brew' button, Kylo scrambled to open a cabinet and place another cup under the spout, before grabbing his phone back.

"Hey!"

"If you don't want to be awake for the next six hours, you need to select decaf." He growled, canceling the order and resetting it.

"Oh. Thanks."

He grunted in reply. "Now can we get back to the case?"

"Hey, I wasn't the one who threw dishware into a wall in the middle of the witness' answer." Rey dished back, grabbing her papers and flopping on the couch while the machine worked on her drink.

"Okay, here we go. There was a security light that beamed directly over the kitchen…"

He looked over to see why she had paused, and saw Rey petting his couch in awe.

"What are you doing?"

"What the hell is this thing made of?" She asked in a hushed tone.

"What?"

"It's firm, but soft, but not too soft, and it's big enough to sprawl out, and somehow it feels like a warm hug." She fiddled with something on the arm of the couch, then gaped at him. "Is this thing kriffing _heated?"_

He waved his hand carelessly. "I think so. Now, if you could at least finish your sent-"

"There's a high, medium, and low setting!" Rey shouted in excitement. "I think I'm in love!"

Kylo frowned at her. "With my couch?"

"It's an amazing couch." She told him, laying down with a happy sigh. "I found heaven, and it's soft and heated."

Rolling his eyes, he commented dryly, "Your drink is getting cold."

"Can you bring it to me?"

"No."

"Please! I'm bonding with this couch and if I leave now I'll lose its trust."

"No."

Rey applied her puppy-dog eyes with no success, then let out an exasperated sigh. "I'll read the rest of the statements without getting distracted."

He looked up from his phone. "Promise?"

"Promise."

He brought over the cup, set out a coaster on the side table, then pointed to her papers.

Quickly sipping her drink, Rey found her place and kept reading. "Blah, blah, blah… security light over the back kitchen door to the restaurant. The alley was only 15 feet wide, and I clearly saw the light reflecting off the metal of the knife."

"And from your vantage point, could you see what happened between Mr. Freeman and Ms. Frost?"

"Yes. Brandishing the knife, he forced her back into the restaurant…"

That night, as she left with a smile and a wave, Kylo stared at the now silent espresso machine and wondered why the house suddenly felt too quiet.


	5. Modus Operandi

_Modus operandi: "manner of operation" - A person's particular way of doing things. Often abbreviated "M.O."_

* * *

Rose sighed, rubbed BB-8 between the ears, and started collecting her papers. "Okay guys, it's late. I think I'm going to head out."

"Already?" Finn asked plaintively, while Poe and Rey rolled their eyes behind him.

She giggled a little and pointed to the clock. "Yeah, it's 9:30. Got to get home before-"

"You turn into a pumpkin?" Poe piped up from the kitchen as Rey elbowed him sharply.

Rose smiled at them. "Something like that. Well…" She drew out the last word, swaying a little while Finn nodded at her obliviously.

"... I guess I'll go." She finished slowly. "Night!"

As she walked towards the door, Rey and Poe gestured furiously at Finn, who stared at them mouthing "What?" as Rey mimed offering someone her arm and Poe pretended to walk, then made kissy faces until Rey hit him.

Poe finally threw his hands in the air in defeat and loudly suggested, "Finn! Why don't you walk Rose out to her car?"

Finn frowned as Rose turned around with hopeful eyes. "But her car is right out-"

A rogue spoon hit him in the shoulder. "Uh, I guess I can go with you? To your car?"

"I'd like that," Rose answered with a soft blush.

As the door closed, Poe rushed to the window, BB-8 bouncing behind him. "Okay, ten bucks says they'll be making out in five minutes."

"Get away from the window, you stalker. And I'm not betting on Finn's love life." Rey said primly as she sorted her reading notes on the kitchen counter.

"Oh wow! There is some serious tonsil hockey going on down there!" He called to her as he pressed his face against the glass.

"What? There is not!" Rey shouted as she scrambled over the counter to see, then punched Poe in the arm. "You liar!"

"What was all that about not being invested in his love life?" Poe asked with a teasing sideways glance.

"I said I wouldn't put a monetary value on whatever his relationship is with Rose, not that I'm not invested in it. I love him and I want him to be happy."

Poe snorted. "Please. You've seen as much of their 'accidental' hand brushes and leaning in oh so close to read each other's notes as I have. It must be driving you up the wall too." He cupped his hands around his eyes. "I mean, the girl's cute, she's obviously interested, make a move dammit!"

"Not everyone can solve things with a smirk and a pick-up line, Poe." Rey commented, and Poe stared at her in mock hurt and placed a dramatic hand over his heart.

"You wound me good lady! I have only ever sought to end war by bring about peace through all the love I can-"

Rey yanked him down as the pair walked out to the parking lot. "Shhh! They'll see us."

They watched their roommate talk and talk and talk while Rose shifted anxiously.

"C'mon man. Stop jabbering and kiss the girl!" Poe groaned in frustration.

Rey studied them for a few seconds. "Twenty says she kisses him first." She whispered.

Poe turned to her, startled, as BB-8 tilted his head in synchronized confusion. "What?"

In that same moment, Rose grabbed Finn's jacket and yanked him down, kissing him in the middle of his sentence.

Rey stood with a smile. "Told you. Take out's on you tomorrow."

But as she walked away, Poe's complaints to BB-8 fading in the background, she couldn't help feel a sharp sting of sadness. She meant what she said, she loved Finn wholeheartedly, and wanted nothing more than to see him happy. But she couldn't quite drown out the small, bitter voice in her head, the one that said everyone was going to leave her. The one that got proven right time after time, home after home.

She shook her head. _Not Finn. He wouldn't. He said so._

 _ **Everyone**_ _leaves,_ the voice repeated sharply. _And this is how he leaves; loving someone else more than he loves you._

Swallowing, she turned the shower on as hot as it would go and stood there until the water ran cold.

…

Rey was having a difficult time concentrating in Holdo's class. Not because the professor wasn't riveting, or because she couldn't understand the topic. Oh no, it was because she literally could not hear over the cacophony of sneezes, sniffles, and snorts coming from none other than Kylo Ren.

He looked paler than usual, which Rey didn't think was possible, with red eyes and nose, and kept trying to hack up a lung every five seconds. Reaching into her bag, Rey found the packet of travel tissues she carried and lobbed it neatly over five other students to land on his desk.

Poe stage whispered "Goaaallllll!", making her giggle, while Kylo looked around in confusion. Once she finally caught his eye, she pointed to the tissues, then motioned to her nose. He glowered at her, but did use one of them with a loud, trumpet-like honk, which was honestly not much better than the coughing.

After Holdo gave them the customary last ten minutes to meet up, Rey walked over to him and canted her head. "You look awful."

"At least I have an excuse." He sniped back, and Rey pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Okay, I'm going to let that slide on account of you apparently having the plague."

"I am not sick." He muttered angrily. "It's just allergies."

She reached forward and felt his forehead, which made him freeze for some reason.

"Yeah, you definitely have a fever."

He drew his coat around him protectively. "Do not."

Sighing, she saw his ears were turning pink as well, probably from his temperature. "Look, we're in a good place with our arguments, and you turned in your predictive memo already, right?"

He coughed, offended. "Of course I did."

"Then take the weekend to recover. You won't get any better unless you give your body time and rest."

" _You_ need time and rest," He retorted lamely, which earned him a pitying eyebrow raise.

"Really? That's your comeback? Yeah, you really do need sleep."

He glared balefully at her as she walked back to the others. Poe caught her eye, then jerked his chin at Finn and Rose trying to secretly hold hands. Shaking her head and laughing, she joined their conversation about how relieved everyone was to have the first memo off their plate, with only one look back at the dark, sniffling form sitting by himself at his desk.

…

Rey pounded on the door a third time, shifting her weight in annoyance.

"Try to do something nice for someone," she muttered, about to turn away when the door finally opened.

"Go away!" Kylo Ren bellowed, then blinked in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Rey was currently busy covering her eyes. "Can you please put on a shirt or something?"

Folding his arms stubbornly, he responded, "This is my home, I can dress however I want."

"Yeah, well, you won't get any of the soup I brought unless you get dressed in real clothes." She told him, staring firmly at the floor and _not_ looking at his surprisingly toned abs.

He let out an aggravated huff, then left the door open as he stomped back to his room. Rey came in and set her ingredients on the counter, closing the door behind her.

"Where do you keep your pots and pans?" She shouted.

"Bottom cabinet left of the stove. Why?" He yelled back, finally emerging from his room wearing a ratty Metallica t-shirt.

"I know how to make exactly two things - bread and spicy flu-fighting chicken noodle soup. Guess which one you're getting."

He blinked at her. "You know how to make bread?"

"It's salt, flour, and water. It's not hard." Rey shrugged as she turned the stove to low heat. "Okay, I had most of the ingredients on hand, but I need to make a grocery run. Do you have Dayquil and stuff?"

"No. I'm not sick!"

Rey put her hands on her hips and stared at him until he mumbled, "Okay, maybe I have a tiny cold, but that's no reason to-"

She held her hand out. "Give me your credit card."

"What? Why?"

"Because you need medicine, you're clearly in no state to go get it, and I need to run to the store anyway, and I'm too broke to buy it for you myself." He narrowed his eyes in suspicion until she sighed and said, "Don't worry, I'll give it back."

"Hmph," he sniffed, but got out his wallet anyway. "No junk food."

"Ugh. Fine. Make sure the soup doesn't burn, I'll be back in twenty." She found a glass, filled it with water, and put in on the side table. Kylo growled and shoved a coaster under it while Rey rolled her eyes and pointed at the water. "Drink that. All of it."

Grumbling in a vaguely affirmative way, he handed over his card.

"Do you have a spare key somewhere? We don't someone to break in and get infected." She grinned, unaffected by his bleary-eyed glare.

"Inside the black rock by the drainpipe." He mumbled, then shuffled back to bed once Rey had waved and closed the door.

He woke up to the sound of off-key humming in his kitchen. Stumbling out, he found every inch of his counter space taken over by prep work or plastic grocery bags.

"Good afternoon, Sleeping Beauty. How was your nap?"

"Better than my kitchen is doing." Poking at one of the bags, he glared at the gallon container inside. "I said no junk food."

"It's chocolate milk! It's got protein and calcium and… other things in it. It's practically health food! Plus you're going to need it after the soup."

"After the what?" It might have been the fact that he couldn't breathe and his head felt like it was stuffed with cotton, but it felt like Rey was speaking a different language.

"Sit. It's just about ready." She pointed to the table, then dug out some Dayquil. "Your appetizer, good sir."

"Mrg." He grunted, but downed the bright orange liquid anyway.

"Here we go! Spicy chicken noodle soup, good for what ails you. I call it… Kung Flu Fighting!"

Hunched over in his chair, he shot her a judgemental look. "That's the worst pun I've ever heard."

"You clearly haven't spent any quality time with Poe. Now eat. The water should be boiling for tea any second now."

He stared dubiously at the soup. "I don't drink tea." Figuring that it couldn't be any worse that he already felt, he sipped at it cautiously.

"You do today. There's this amazing company that makes Sinus Soother and Throat Tamer teas, and they're the best for-"

She was interrupted by Kylo coughing violently. "What the hell is in this?"

"Chicken noodle soup, garlic and ginger. Oh, and cayenne. A lot of cayenne. They help break up congestion."

"It's like I swallowed the sun!" He spat out, then grabbed at the glass of chocolate milk Rey was holding out with a knowing smile.

"Told you. But don't worry, it'll kick in soon."

"I'm not eating any more of that poison! You're clearly trying to kill-" He stopped as he realized he had just taken a semi-clear breath through his nose.

"It's just the cough medicine taking effect." He groused, although Rey just beamed at him.

"Sure it is." Pouring a glass of chocolate milk for herself, she plopped onto the couch and started flipping through channels. "Okay, what do we got to watch? Ooo! Project Runway marathon!"

"What's with you and junk?" He asked from the table, already halfway through his soup. "Junk tech, junk food, junk tv."

"Hey! Reality tv is an essential part of recovering from sickness. Everyone knows that."

"Hmph." He watched the screen for a few moments. "Who's that?"

"What?! That's Tim Gunn! AKA the best mentor in the galaxy."

Kylo snorted. "Mentors are overrated."

"Not Tim! He's kind and encouraging, but also can tell them when they're on a bad path."

He shook his head. "Whatever. I still don't understand why anyone would watch this."

…

"It's hideous! It's a burlap sack in vomit green!" Rey shouted at the tv.

"They'll love it though." Kylo told her, adjusting his pillow as he stretched out across the couch.

Rey, who was sitting on the corner next to his head, frowned at him. "How can they love something that shapeless?"

He shrugged. "They'll probably say it's architectural."

"What the hell does that even mean?"

As the designers came out on the runway, all the judges praised the green dress, calling it 'innovative', 'interesting', and of course, 'architectural'.

Rey hit him with a pillow. "How are you so good at this? You always know exactly what they think!"

He shot her a rebuking look from where he was laying down, then turned back to the television for a few moments before finally replying, "My mom is a senator and my grandmother was a fashion icon. I had to listen to a lot of stylists and designers and other people like them for most of my life."

"Oh." Rey thought about, then noticed the tension in his shoulders as he waited for her response.

She shifted, pulling the plush blanket she had bought ("You need something soft in this cube of plastic and chrome," she had informed him, tugging the rolled blanket out of one of the grocery bags. "They didn't have any black, but red is close enough, right?") closer to her, then groused, "It's still hideous though."

After a brief moment of surprise, he let out a short bark of laughter. "Yeah. It is."

A few hours later, Rey poked him in the shoulder. "Hey, where's your phone? I want to make one of those macchiato things."

"Download the app yourself." Kylo mumbled, back towards the tv. "Then you can stop bugging me."

"Geez, fine."

He heard her tapping away at her phone, then felt fingers absently running through his hair in a way that was not entirely unpleasant.

"What are you doing?" He asked, half-asleep, then reached up to touch his head. "Are you braiding my hair?"

The sensation stopped abruptly. "Sorry. Bad habit."

He shrugged, trying to categorize the weird feeling in his chest. "It's fine, just… make sure you take it all out."

"Okay!" She chirped, resuming the braid. "Dang, what conditioner do you use?"

"I dunno. It comes in a black bottle."

Rey laughed. "Of course it does."

…

Kylo woke gradually, wincing at how stiff his neck was, and wondering why on earth he was sleeping on the couch when he heard a loud snort next to him. He went completely still, then slowly opened his eyes to see Rey, hair escaping from her buns, cocooned in blankets, and snoring just a few inches away from his face.

He stared at her for a moment, listening to her breathe, watching her face as she dreamt. He had never slept next to anyone before, platonic or otherwise, and part of him was savoring how close she was, how unafraid of him, how she smelled of the sun and lavender, how her warmth somehow extended to him. Most of his life had been made up of seasons of pride and disappointment, coldness and anger, but in this still, small moment, he felt almost… peaceful.

As he sat up slowly, he realized how ridiculous this whole thing was. She just barged into his house the same way she barged into everything else, no respect for his rules or privacy or solitude. She was probably doing all of this to scam more free food out of him, or it was just all a charade of friendship so she and her friends could laugh at him. Or she was doing all of this out of some misplaced false sympathy, some sanctimonious effort to make herself feel superior to him.

Or worse, she was probably doing this purely because she pitied him.

The familiar cloak of anger settling around his shoulders once more, he reached out his hand to wake her, to kick her out, to tell her where she could shove her pity, to stay out of his life and his house, to stay away from him. Instead of any of that, he found himself tucking the soft fleece around her and brushing away a stray strand of hair from her face.

Snapping out of it, he snatched his hand back, then stormed (quietly) to the bathroom, trying to figure out what on earth was wrong with him.

He had washed his face and had just opened the door when he heard the sound of "Who run the world? (Girls!)" coming from the coffee table, followed by a clatter metal and a muffled curse.

"Hello?" Rey answered, muffled around her blanket.

"Where the hell are you?!" A tinny voice shouted in panic. "You were supposed to be home hours ago!"

Rey tried to find a clock, then asked blearily. "What time is it?"

"It's eleven at night! Where are you?"

"I told you, I was bringing soup to…" she paused, then said, "to Ren."

(She always bit out 'Kylo' when she used his name, like it left a bitter taste in her mouth. But she had never called him 'Ren' before, never used a tone that was almost… gentle.)

"Yeah, that was this morning. Wait, have you been there all day?"

"I think the _real_ question here is..." A new voice chimed in, Kylo already hated the smirk he could hear in the teasing tone. "Have you been there all night? Get it girl!"

Rey buried her head into the couch. "Oh my God, Poe, just stop talking."

"But seriously, what's going on between you and the Sniffle-uffagus? Is he holding you hostage? Cough once for yes."

"Put Finn back on!"

There sounded like a small scuffle, then the phone apparently was reclaimed. "Sorry, peanut. We just got worried is all. You coming home soon?"

"Yeah. I mean," she sat up and yawned widely. "Just gimme a sec to wake up. I'll figure it out and let you know."

"Okay, sounds good. Talk to you in a few."

Kylo closed the door as quietly as he could, then flushed the toilet, ran the sink, and opened the door in a way he hoped suggested he had not been listening in to her entire conversation.

"Hey," she greeted as she rubbed her face.

He settled with a nod and, "Hi."

"It's late, I should go." Rey stretched, then looked outside and shivered. "Ugh. It looks so cold outside." She turned to him and stuck out her lower lip in an overdramatic pout. "I don't wanna walk in the cold."

"Supposed to be a chance of frost." He replied, unsure why he was trying to act so casual.

Rey shuddered. "I hate frost." Sighing, she looked around at the mess of tissues, empty mugs of tea, and all the dishes in the kitchen. "Okay, I'll help you clean a bit, then I'll go."

She gave him a self-deprecating grin. "You must be dying to get me out of your hair."

He opened his mouth to say, " _Yes, I am. Stop bringing your stupid food and stupid tv and your stupid sunshine smell into my life."_

What came out was, "You could stay."

Her head snapped up in surprise.

"I-I mean…" He fumbled for reasons, "if… if you wanted to. I mean, it's a long ways to walk, and it's cold. You… you could crash on the couch. You already said you're in love with it, so…" He cast around for more reasons. "Besides, you made this mess in the kitchen. Least you could do is let me sleep now and then clean it up in the morning. It'll still be there. And then… I could drive you home. In the morning. When I'm not under the influence of cough medicine."

Rey glanced out the dark windows, then tilted her head at him. "Are you sure?"

He wasn't. He wasn't sure about any aspect of anything that was going on here.

Shrugging, he ran his hands through his hair, fingers catching on one of the braids Rey hadn't taken out. "Whatever. It's up to you." He muttered, then quickly retreated to his room as he felt his cheeks turning red.

What the hell was wrong with him?

As he changed into actual pajamas, he could hear her talking in the living room.

"Hey, Finn. I think I'm just going to crash on his couch tonight." A few seconds passed, then he heard her growl into the phone, "Poe, you say one word and I will reach through this phone and punch you in the face."

Kylo cracked his door enough to hear an outraged, "What?! You're voluntarily spending more time with this guy?"

"He is not that bad."

A loud scoff came through the line.

"He's not, Poe, and if you snort like that again, I'm counting it as a word."

"Look, peanut, you already went above and beyond by bringing him soup. Isn't that enough for your good deeds today?"

Rey sighed. "Finn, he's sick. The only thing worse than being sick is being sick and alone."

"I hate to say this, but you are not the only person out there who could keep him company. And you're not even medically trained!"

"He doesn't have anyone else." She told him in a way that should have been pitying, but was instead... almost pleading. "Everyone should have someone when they're sick." She let that sit for a beat, then added, "You know that as well as I do."

Finn conceded the point with a heavy sigh. "Just… promise you'll be safe."

"I promise."

Finn sighed again. "You know you don't have to save the world, Rey."

Rey smiled fondly. "I know. I'm just trying to save my part of it."

"Alright. Goodnight."

"Night."

Kylo slammed his dresser door loudly, then, trying to ignore the blush he felt creeping up his neck, walked back into the living room and tossed her a t-shirt and some sweatpants.

"Here are some… I mean, if you want to change into… or whatever." He fervently hoped it was the drugs that were making him sound like a tongue-tied idiot.

She sorted through the clothes, then looked up. "Is every article of clothing you own black?"

He started to whirl around, mutterings about ingratitude already forming when she tilted her head and laughed. "I'm kidding. Thank you."

"Whatever."

"Hey, Ren."

He looked back, unsure of the next step in this new dance they were doing.

She rustled in one of the bags, then held out a plastic bottle. "Take some Nyquil before you go to sleep."

"Oh. Right." He took it from her cautiously, still waiting for all this to blow up in his face.

As she walked back over to the couch and plumped up the pillows, she called out with a rumpled smile, "Goodnight!"

He waved his hand behind him and marched into his room before anything else happened, desperately trying not to remember how long it had been since anyone had wished him goodnight. Or how good it felt.

…

Rey jolted awake at the sound of a cabinet slamming closed, then looked over in time to see Kylo, already dressed, wincing as he set a bottle of spice on the counter.

"Blerg. What time is it?" She asked, propping her chin up on the back of the couch.

"8:00." He told her, whisking eggs in a glass bowl.

She rubbed her eyes, then did a double take at the kitchen counter. "Hey! I was supposed to clean up!"

He shrugged. "You don't know where anything goes."

"Okay, that's a fair point." Stretching her arms out, she sniffed her shoulder, then made a face. "You got a shower on this spaceship?"

Kylo jerked his head towards the hallway. "Second door on the left."

"Thanks." She yawned, then padded past the kitchen in the comically big t-shirt and sweats he had loaned her, half-wondering why her host kept his eyes firmly locked on the batter.

She emerged twenty minutes later, glowing, refreshed, and wondering how rich she needed to be to get one of those space showers because, _damn_ , that thing was like a shower and sauna and massage all in one.

Sniffing, she rounded the corner with wide eyes and a rumbling stomach. "What smells so good?"

Shaking his head, he gestured to the chair across from him, already set with three pancakes and some slices of bacon.

"Omigod, breakfast!" She shrieked, then fell on the meal with an intensity that both impressed and intimidated Kylo.

"Theef tas' diff'rent 'n normal pancakesh," Rey observed around a full mouth. "Good, bu' diff'rent."

He sighed and slid some napkins across the table. "They have whole wheat and oat flour in them, along with a protein blend."

"Ah. So you're saying that they're bro-cakes." Rey grinned as he shook his head.

"I most certainly am not." He told her, bring over more pancakes.

She pounced on the extras, then winked at him. "Sure. Bro."

He rolled his eyes as she laughed and reached for more syrup.

…

He dropped her off promptly at 9:30, waiting until she waved and closed the building door behind her before he drove away.

"Morning, I'm hom-" She started, then was tackled by all three boys.

"Are you sure you're okay? You were gone for ages!"

"My sunshine! The world was a little darker without you here, but I'm still so happy you got a little something something!"

"Arf, arf, arf!"

"Off, off, _off!"_ She shouted like they were all BB-8, and it surprisingly worked. The corgi sat obediently, and the humans took a step back.

"Good God, I was gone for a day, not off at war!"

"Are you sure?" Finn asked, looking her over anxiously. "That guy always looks like he's about to start World War Three."

"I dunno, I'm sure he'll be looking a lot happier now that- oof!" Rey brained Poe with a pillow in the middle of his sentence.

"Okay, if people don't stop talking, no one is going to get the donuts I brought."

As she distributed the donuts in the bag, she noticed BB-8 sniffing her curiously, then turned his head from side to side and whined, as if asking why she smelled like a different human's clothes.

Bending down, she whispered forcefully, "Hey, you keep your nose to yourself or I will tell Poe what really happened to his Beats headphones."

BB-8 sneezed, then licked maple glaze off her hand in agreement. Rey watched him run off to beg from Finn and Poe, then smiled.

It was good to be home again.


	6. Equity Aids the Vigilant

_Vigilantibus non dormientibus aequitas subvenit: "Equity aids the vigilant, not the sleeping." - The concept that if an opposing party unreasonably delays bringing an action, it is no longer considered just to hear their claim, due to fundamental changes in circumstance brought upon by their delay._

* * *

Rey checked the time on her phone again, groaned in frustration, then quickened her pace.

She was going over possible excuses for why she was late (besides the truth of getting caught up in her 'background' show of Great British Bake Off while she should have been reading cases), when her gut instinct told her something was off.

Slowing, she scanned the area, then noticed the four burly men occasionally touching their ears and walking in a pattern that looked suspiciously like a perimeter check. She paused, then ducked through the foliage and hopped the fence to Kylo's back yard.

As she unlocked the back door, she heard voices coming from the living room, Kylo's and an older woman's voice that she vaguely recognized from somewhere.

"... would that be so terrible, Ben?"

"For the last time, my name is Kylo Ren, and yes, it would! I refuse to spend any more time with that old-"

Kylo turned away in emphasis, then stopped at the sight of her.

"What are you doing here?" He demanded angrily.

Bristling at his tone, she put her hands on her hips. "I'm here to study. And I'm not the one with security guards outside my door, so the real question is what are you do-"

Her jaw dropped as the woman he had been arguing with came into view, wearing a gray suit with a purple overcoat, hair done up in an elaborate braid.

"Oh my God. Oh my God. You're… you are! Oh my God."

Her reaction seemed to annoy Kylo even more. "How did you even get in here?"

"Back door. Spare key." She told him without looking away. "You're…"

The woman stepped forward, extending her hand. "Hello. I'm Leia."

"You are! I mean, hi! I'm Rey. It's amazing to meet you."

Leia smiled warmly. "It's lovely to meet you. Are you and…" She glanced at her son, "Kylo friends?"

Rey blinked, then noticed Kylo clenching his jaw and staring at the floor.

"I…" Were they? They weren't enemies anymore, and they were more than acquaintances. They were partners, and perhaps...

"Yeah. We are." She said, and he looked almost as surprised as she felt. "We're in Legal Research and Writing together."

"You're in Amilyn Holdo's class! How are you liking it?"

"It's good! It's pretty intense, but I'm learning a lot, and I can tell my writing and analysis are improving."

"Those are the best classes." She turned to Kylo, who was sulking against the counter. "How do you like it, sweetheart?"

He grunted noncommittally. "It's fine."

Leia rolled her eyes with a fond exasperation towards Rey. "So articulate, this one."

Rey giggled, then realized she was staring with a giant smile, and said, "I'm sorry, my roommate Poe is going to freak out when he hears about this. He loves you. I mean!" She hastened to clarify, "He loves what you stand for! He actually interned for your campaign back in college and talks about it all the time. Like me, right now. I'll stop."

Laughing a little, the woman patted her arm. "Well, it's always wonderful to know I still have support out there."

Kylo flushed angrily.

"I just stopped by to give my son his birthday gift." Leia gestured to a box covered in shining wrapping paper. "Which he apparently does not want."

Rey whirled around. "What?! Why?"

"Because I'm not a five-year old child." He snapped petulantly. "And you didn't have to drive all the way out here to give it to me."

Leia gave him a quelling look, honed sharp with years of practice. "If you answered your phone, I wouldn't have to."

He folded his arms in a huff.

"I also wanted to find out your plans for Thanksgiving. Were you going to come home? Spend it with friends?"

"I'm not celebrating Thanksgiving, because it's a stupid holiday and I need to study."

Leia raised an eyebrow at him, then looked at Rey. "What are you plans, dear?"

"Me? Oh, um, I'm not sure. I think my roommates and I are doing something, but we don't have any firm plans. He's welcome to join us." Rey offered, then winced at the thought of breaking that news to Poe and Finn.

"I do not need a pity invite!"

Ignoring him, Leia smiled. "Well, if you don't have any other plans, you and your roommates are welcome to join us for dinner."

Rey gaped. "Seriously?"

"Of course. Any friend of _Kylo's_ is welcome in our home." Leia cast a glance back towards the dark form pouting in the corner. "He can give you the address, or a ride up if you need it."

"I'm not going!"

"Dinner starts at five, but it's an all day celebration, so come whenever you like." Giving her a gentle hug, Leia told Rey, "It was a pleasure to meet you. I'm glad to know my son has at least one friend."

"I don't need any friends!"

Shaking her head, Leia tugged Kylo down for a kiss on the cheek. "Happy birthday, sweetheart. Please wait until I leave before you throw your gift away."

She gave a single wave before she left, Rey waving enthusiastically back as Kylo grumbled about guilt-trips and stupid holidays.

"That was amazing! I can't being I just meet the leader of the Senate!"

"The appeal wears off. Trust me." Kylo said, forcefully dumping the wrapped box in the garbage.

"What are you doing?!"

He shrugged. "I waited til she left."

"You really are the worst." Rey told him as she pulled the gift out, brushing coffee grounds off the bottom.

"Hey, leave that in there. That's my property."

"Technically, this is going to go out on the curb for pickup, and will then become public property, and anyone can take it. I'm just skipping ahead a few steps." Rey informed him as she started ripping the wrapping paper.

"If you open it, she'll know."

"How would she know?"

He narrowed his eyes at the door. "She has dark powers."

Rey rolled her eyes as the last piece of paper fell off. "Wow! It's a 3-D wood puzzle! I've heard of these. They're supposed to be a lot of fun."

"Just because I liked puzzles as a kid does not mean-"

"Hey look! You slide all the separate parts together and it makes a tiny robot that plays music!"

"Yippee." He deadpanned as Rey opened the box and started setting out the pieces. Frowning at being ignored, he got out his laptop and papers. "Hey, we're here to study, and you were already late. We should start."

"Technically, you weren't ready to study when I got here, which really makes you the one who's late." Rey told him as she spread out the instructions and started reading. "And I still don't get why you're so upset at getting a present. I'd love to get presents."

He scowled as he opened his laptop. "It's a stupid family thing. You wouldn't understand."

Unlike all his past barbs that Rey had brushed off easily, that small sentence, not even meant to sting, hit her like a punch to the gut.

Blinking rapidly and biting her lip, she slowly started disassembling the few wooden pieces she had been working on.

"Why do you want to go into law, anyway?" Kylo asked almost curiously from behind her, the change of tone and topic startling her. "You're not bad at machines or putting stuff together. Why not do that instead?"

She kept placing pieces back in the box while she searched for something to say. "I thought about going into engineering, but I just always…"

Choking out a small, bitter laugh, she stood up and grabbed her bag. "You know what, I'm not doing this." Kylo looked up, surprised at her sudden motion. "I've got to go."

"Wait, what's going on? Not doing what?"

She was halfway to the door when she whirled around, eyes overbright and voice shaking. "I'm not to tell you why I'm going into law, because you already know."

Standing slowly, he furrowed his brows in confusion.

"You saw through me that very first day." She swallowed and managed a tight smile. "And you were right. I'm a former foster kid with a sad sob story, which I don't want to tell you and you don't want to hear."

As she slammed the door behind her, she heard, "Rey, wait!"

Breaking into a run, she rushed towards her apartment, occasionally swiping at the angry tears that trailed across her face.

She thought she was used to this. Used to the loneliness, the knowledge that other people had families that they loved, hated, confronted, avoided, while she was left with nothing more than vague memories and a story about a man dropping her off at the foster office with a curt, "This needs a new home."

He was right. She didn't understand. Didn't understand about stupid family things. About parents driving out of their way to give gifts. Remembering what toys their kids liked. Inviting them to come home.

After making back to the apartment, she caught her breath in the hallway, hoping the run disguised the flush in her cheeks and the catch in her throat.

"Rey!"

She looked around, then let out a curse as she dug her phone out of her pocket. She really needed to rewire this kriffing thing.

"Rey!"

"What?!" This time she was the one bellowing irritably for a change.

"Where are you?"

She scoffed at the screen. "What do you care?"

He paused, then changed the subject. "You seemed upset."

"No shit, Sherlock."

Taking great satisfaction in stabbing the red 'End Call' button, she walked into the apartment and dumped her bag on the floor, muttering about malfunctioning phones and where giant douches could stick their heads.

"Who were you yelling at in the hall?" Poe asked as he mashed the Xbox controller. "Did your boyfriend call to make sure you got home okay?" He teased in an overly sweet tone.

"He is not my boyfriend and that is not-" Rey stopped midway through, then stared at her phone. Shaking her head (because how absurd would that be? Kylo calling to see if she was safe. Aliens visiting earth would be more believable), she spoke over the sound of CG fight sequences, "I'm going to take a shower. No one use the sink."

Poe waved behind him in affirmation, but Finn suddenly paused the game and turned to look at her.

"You okay, peanut?"

Damn him and how well he knew her.

She let out a long breath and gave him a weak half-smile. "I will be. I just… need some time."

His brown eyes looked worried, but he nodded. "Okay. Do you want a door? I can take the couch tonight."

Shoulders releasing a bit of their tension already, her tone gentled. "A shower and some stargazing will do wonders, I'm sure. Thanks though."

An hour later, she was staring at the sky, basking in the starlight and Finn's hot cocoa, reminding herself that no matter what, she wasn't alone. She had Finn, and Finn understood.

"Rey!"

She groaned and tried to reach into her pocket, then realized her pajamas didn't have pockets.

"Rey!" The voice stage-whispered again, and she nearly fell off the fire escape when she saw Kylo standing on the sidewalk below.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She hissed at him.

Instead of the aggravated reply she was expecting, Kylo shifted his weight back and forth, then ran his hand through his hair.

"You didn't answer my question."

Rey frowned. "What question?"

"About where you-" Crossing his arms, he glanced around, then looked back up at her. "Look, can you just come down? This is ridiculous."

Lifting her chin in defiance, Rey kicked the ladder on the side of the fire escape, raising an eyebrow at him as it dropped.

He stared at the ladder, then at the six foot gap between the ground and the first rung. " _Really?"_

Rey simply went back to stargazing, ignoring the grumbling and grunts of effort as Kylo attempted to hoist himself up the steel ladder. A few minutes and only a couple cuts later, he squeezed next to her on the small platform.

"I'm going to need a tetanus shot after this. How can you stand to live in this death trap?"

Rey focused on finding Orion's belt, then traced the rest of the constellation's outline as Kylo fidgeted in the silence.

"I… brought this for you." He pulled the DIY kit out of his bag and offered it to her. "I don't really… and you seemed to…"

He set it awkwardly behind him as Rey made no move to take it.

"Look… about what I… I shouldn't have…" Clenching and releasing his fists, he let out a long breath, then said, "Kriff it," and stood.

Or tried to anyway. His foot slipped halfway up and he fell back on the metal grating. Hard.

"Son of a…" He started, rubbing his lower back. "Whatever. Fine. I shouldn't have said that to you."

Rey, who was protectively shielding her hot cocoa from the shaking platform, met his eyes for the first time. "Shouldn't have said what?"

Kylo bit his lip, then spoke quickly, as if trying to get it over with. "What I said to you the first day of class. I didn't know you, and it was… Anyway, I shouldn't have said it."

Carefully setting her mug back down, Rey stated firmly. "Cruel."

"What?"

"It was cruel." She repeated pointedly, holding his gaze until he flushed and looked aside.

He opened his mouth a few times, as if considering defending himself, but surprised Rey when he finally stated, "Yes. It was."

Narrowing her eyes, Rey studied him for a few moments, then nodded, convinced he was sincere. That settled, she turned back to the sky, trying to locate Ursa Minor.

"So…" Kylo drew out, obviously unsure of the next move. "Now what?"

Rey reached to the side, then turned back to him with a challenging smile. "Hot chocolate?"

He hesitantly took the mug, then glanced inside. "You already drank half of this."

"So then it's half full." She retorted, and couldn't help a small, genuine grin at Kylo's sardonic look.

"Seriously?"

She quirked a teasing eyebrow at him. "What kind of guy are you again? Half… what's the opposite of full?"

Sighing loudly, he sipped cautiously at the drink, then pulled back with a slight frown. "This isn't bad. For being cold and having someone else's backwash."

Rey rolled her eyes. "High praise coming from you. Finn made it. He makes the best cocoa."

Kylo took another sip, then focused intently on the chip in the side of the mug. "Talented boyfriend." He muttered, and Rey turned to stare at him.

"Finn's my brother, not my boyfriend." She told him, wondering why he would care. And why everyone was asking about her relationship status.

"Oh." He sat with that a minute, then asked casually, "What about the other one?"

"Poe? I mean, I get why, the man has chemistry with a doorknob. But no, he's not my boyfriend either."

"Oh."

"Now, BB-8, there's a whole backstory there that we don't have time to get into."

"Ha. Ha." He said flatly.

"See, that's just sad. Even when you laugh you have that one expression. That scowl, or glare, or whatever."

"Wouldn't that be two expressions?" He asked, finishing off the hot chocolate.

Rey stared at him with an open mouth. "Did you just make a joke?"

"No. I was merely pointing out an inaccuracy."

"Oh my God. You made a joke!"

"Did not."

"You did! The dreaded Kylo Ren just made a joke. Someone make a note of the time and day, write that down."

"You're ridiculous."

"That makes two of us, joker."

Kylo shook his head in exasperation as Rey swung her feet and kept throwing puns at him, each more terrible than the last.

And as they sat under the stars, suspended above the ground, Rey realized that tonight, she felt a little less alone.


	7. Bring With You

_Duces tecum: "bring with you" - A "subpoena duces tecum" is a summons to produce physical evidence for a trial._

* * *

"Alright, alright, a toast! Cheers to us for surviving to the first break of the semester, and may the next month bring us presents, gifts, and passing grades!" Poe shouted over the noisy bar, hoisting his beer.

"Cheers!" Rey, Finn, and Rose all yelled in return, clinking glasses.

"How on earth is Thanksgiving in two days?" Finn asked, shaking his head. "I swear the semester just started."

Rey snorted. "Are you kidding? It's only been a couple months, but it feels like years!"

"That's because you have Sir Doom and Gloom as your partner." Poe informed her, leaning back in his chair. "Me, it's been nothing but sunshine and smooth sailing with the beautiful Kaydel. Have I told you guys about how amazing-"

"Boooo!" They all called out, and Rey and Finn chucked cardboard coasters at him.

"Don't hate the player!" He protested, putting up his arms to shield himself. "And Finn, you're one to talk. Rose over here has put up with you for almost three months! I think that officially makes her a saint."

Blushing, Rose bumped Finn's shoulder. "He's not that bad, once you get used to him."

"See? Thank you, Rose." Finn nodded at his roommates, justified, then turned back to stare at her. "Wait, what?"

"And thank you Rose for inviting us out for a well-earned night off!" Rey interrupted with a smile, starting another round of clinking and drinks.

"Actually," Rose added, keeping her eye on the door. "There was another reason I wanted to hang out with you guys."

"You brought us here under false pretenses?" Poe fake gasped, then winked. "I knew I liked you."

"And what's the other reason?" Finn asked after kicking Poe under the table.

"Rose!" A tall Asian woman pushed her way over to them with a wide smile.

"Paige!" Rose shouted, jumping up to tackle her in a hug. "Guys, this is my sister Paige. She's a fourth-year studying Intellectual Property. Paige, this is Rey, Poe, and this…" she tugged her sister's sleeve a little, "is Finn."

There was a chorus of greetings, then Rey whispered to Finn, "Stand up."

"What?" He whispered back.

"Stand up. _Stand up!"_ She finally kicked the leg of his chair as she hissed at him, forcing him to his feet.

"Oh. Um. Hello." Finn said awkwardly, then stuck out his hand.

Paige smiled and shook his hand. "Hello Finn. It's nice to finally meet you."

"Uh, yeah. It's nice to meet you too."

Rey glanced between Finn still shaking Paige's hand and Rose watching them with a mixture of pride and anxiety, then announced loudly, "Poe! Want to help me get the next round?"

He blinked at her, then they exchanged a brief silent conversation, made up of head jerks toward the bar, upraised arms, then a threatening gesture that finally got him out of his chair.

"Sure, I guess."

They delayed until all three of the others were sitting and chatting away, Poe grumbling about being tricked into chaperone duty.

"Shhh." Rey told him, balancing the bottles in her hands. "I think it's sweet Rose wanted her sister to meet him."

Poe rolled his eyes. "It'd be sweet if they wanted to pay for drinks."

They returned to the table, passed out the drinks, started a rousing debate about who people could sue in the wake of the Avengers fighting off an alien invasion, and if any damage caused by Thor or Loki would be considered 'acts of gods'.

"No, you could absolutely prove that the Avengers acted without due care in their rescue of the city, so you could sue S.H.I.E.L.D. for negligent acts of its employees!" Paige argued, slamming her drink down in emphasis.

Finn shook his head. "Only if the government waives its immunity by way of the Federal Tort Claims Act, and S.H.I.E.L.D. totally has enough pull in the government to make sure that doesn't happen."

"And even under the FTCA, you'd still have to prove that all the Avengers are employees of S.H.I.E.L.D., and present evidence that they were acting on behalf of a federal agency in an official capacity. Hawkeye and Black Widow are the only actual employees, and maybe Captain America." Rey pointed out, then sipped her IPA.

Poe nodded and leaned forwards."You know, the real goldmine here would be to sue Tony Stark. A, he has loads of money, B, sure he rescued people, but he destroyed tons of things to do it, and C, unreasonable rescues can be liable under a negligence action if the aggrieved party is injured as a result." He held up his hand in victory as he summed up, "Class-action suit against Tony Stark in his individual capacity, hands-down."

They all laughed at that, and after a few moments, Rey saw Paige give Rose a meaningful nod.

"So, Finn," Rose started, clasping her hands together, "I was… we were wondering if you had any plans for Thanksgiving. Because if you don't… maybe you'd like to drive with Paige and I up to see my family? And… meet my parents."

Finn blinked in shock. "Oh. Wow. That sounds great, but we already have-"

Rey grabbed his arm and hauled him up. "Would you excuse us for a moment?"

"What are you doing?" She demanded once they were out of earshot.

"But, we talked about having Thanksgiving with just the three of us, remember?"

"Finn. I love you, but you're an idiot. You and Rose are dating, right?"

Shifting his weight anxiously, Finn vacillated, "We don't really want to put any labels on it, and what does dating even mean nowadays-"

"Look, she wants you to meet her parents. That's big!"

Finn peeked over at Rose, then nodded nervously. "It is! Should I be worried? I feel like I should be worried."

Rey laughed and touched his shoulder. "Just be your dumb, loveable self and you'll be fine."

He gave her a look. "Thanks." Furrowing his brows, he tilted his head at her. "But what about tradition?"

"Our tradition is eating bread and takeout while pretending to care about football. I'm sure we can do that after you get back."

"With your rosemary bread? Promise?" His brown eyes were full of love and worry.

She smiled reassuringly. "Promise. Now get back there."

As they rejoined the others, Finn grinned broadly at the sisters. "I'd love to. When do we leave? What should I bring?"

"Well, you only have to bring yourself, but it's about a three hour drive, so we'd need to leave pretty early." Paige told him.

"Oh, okay. How early? Like, noon?"

Paige laughed as Rose looked at him sympathetically. "More like… nine?"

"Tico Thanksgivings go all day. And night. Be prepared for a lot of socializing." Paige warned with a grin as Finn looked increasingly panicked and Poe clapped him on the back.

"Good luck, buddy. Sounds like you'll need it."

…

After sending Finn off with a wave and a yawn Thanksgiving morning, Rey started the dough for the rosemary bread, then nodded good morning to Poe as he stumbled out.

"Morning Casper." He waved after seeing the amount on flour on her hands and face. "Haunt any houses lately?"

"Haha. One more crack like that and you're not getting any."

"Well, sunshine, looks like it's just me and you for Thanksgiving." He held up a fan of take-out menus. "Who wants to do the honors?"

Rey shook her head with a smile, then bit her lip. "You know, we actually did get an invitation for dinner at someone's house."

"Pfft. The only thanks I'm going to be giving is to Shanghai Garden for their amazing pad thai." Poe sniffed the paper menu, willing the photos into existence as BB-8 drooled in solidarity. "Who invited you, anyway? All the people you know are here or driving to the Ticos."

"Hey! I have a wide and varied social life, thank you very much."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Let me guess. Crylo Ren is hosting a grand Thanksgiving festivity, ala Martha Stewart, and we're invited?"

"No, Ren is not hosting." She told him, then added, "His mother is."

"His m-" Poe whirled around to stare at her. "Senator Organa?"

Rey shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. "She introduced herself as Leia."

"You met her?! You met _the_ Senator Leia Organa-Solo in person? When? Where? Why wasn't I there?" He practically shrieked as he rushed towards her.

"Yes, at Ren's, last week, and because you don't study with us." She answered, grinning at his excitement.

"And she invited you to Thanksgiving?"

"Us. She specifically said that if we didn't have any other plans, I and my roommates were welcome to join them. Although I'm pretty sure it was a pity invite."

"Pity, schmity! We're going!" He shouted, running into his room as BB-8 barked and ran alongside.

Rey warned him, "There is a catch, though."

Poe stuck his head around his door. "Who cares? I get to have Thanksgiving with Senator Leia Organa-Solo! Nothing could ruin this!"

As they stood outside Kylo's townhouse an hour later, Poe shook his head. "Nevermind. This ruined it."

Rolling her eyes, Rey knocked on the door, subconsciously smoothing out imaginary wrinkles in her grey linen dress.

The door opened to reveal a glowering Kylo, who looked surprised to see Rey, then annoyed when he noticed Poe. "What are you doing here?"

"We would like to join you at your parents for Thanksgiving!" Rey announced brightly.

"No."

Poe, affronted, called out, "Hey, the Senator invited us!"

"The only thing she did was prove that she likes complete strangers more than her own son." Kylo sniped back.

"Well, with that attitude, who can blame her?"

Kylo scowled, then slammed the door shut.

"Well that went about as well as expected." Poe commented snidely.

"Go wait in the car." Rey told him firmly, pointing towards her rusted Chariot Speeder where BB-8 was hanging out of the window, panting happily.

"What? Why? He's the one-"

She put her hands on her hip, then pointed again. "Go."

As Poe made his way to the car with dark mumblings, Rey knocked on the door again.

It opened slowly until Kylo saw Poe wasn't with her. He glanced over at the car, then muttered, "It's good to see you put them both in obedience school."

"Would you just-" Rey hissed as she pushed him inside, already frustrated by the amount of idiocy and testosterone she had to deal with this morning.

"I'm not going." He told her, slouching in a chair and crossing his arms.

She rolled her eyes as she went to her cupboard and starting pulling out bags of Doritos. "Why not?"

"Because I'm not. That's why. And the real question is, why do you want to go?"

He didn't notice Rey stop suddenly at his question as he continued, "Because I know fanboy only wants to say he met the Senator, which is bad enough, but you've already met her. Everything goes pretty much downhill from there, let me tell you."

Realizing Rey hadn't said anything, he looked up. "Hey."

Blinking, she met his gaze. "Hm?"

"I said why do you want to go?"

"I…" Shoulder hunched, she cast around for an answer, then finally settled on the truth. "I want to see what it's like."

"What, awkward silences alternating with stupid arguments?" He snorted. "You can get that from any soap opera out there."

"No. A…" Swallowing, she finished softly, "a family dinner."

He stared at her. "What?"

"I've never been to a real Thanksgiving before, where everyone sits down, says what they're grateful for, and eats dinner all together as a family, stuff like that."

"Seriously?"

She shrugged. "The main foster parent I stayed was a bookie with a pawnshop. Thanksgiving and Christmas were his biggest days. Most of the other ones worked holidays or didn't like us enough."

Kylo frowned, then looked down as Rey sighed, "Look, if you really don't want to go, then we won't go. It'll be okay."

He got to his feet abruptly, then marched to his room. "That damn woman. She knew this would happen. That's why she did it. Just when I think that she's run out of tricks she comes up something like this. Can't she just go senile like the old man?" He ranted as various articles of clothing (all black) flew out of his closet.

Rey watched the clothes fall to the floor in confusion. "What does that mean?"

She quickly averted her eyes as he stepped back into view, his shirt already halfway over his head. "It means that I am making myself the strongest cup of coffee ever, then we are taking separate cars so I can leave whenever I like."

Suddenly not caring whether he was shirtless or not (and again, _what were those abs?_ When did he have time to work out?) Rey looked up with sudden hope. "Absolutely. Coffee, separate cars, whatever you need."

"Keep that mutt off of me. And so help me, if flyboy over there makes one comment-"

Nearly bouncing with glee, Rey nodded. "I will. He won't. I promise. Best behavior from everyone!"

"Urgh. Fine. Give me twenty minutes."

Thirty minutes later, they were following Kylo's shiny black (of course) Fighter up the freeway, Poe and BB-8 practically vibrating with excitement.

"Damn girl! You are a miracle worker!"

"I wouldn't have to work miracles if you were better about not antagonizing people. And I mean it Poe, one snide remark and we will get kicked out faster than a soccer ball at the World Cup."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Aw man, I can't believe I get to meet the Senator! I told you that interning at her campaign was-"

"The best experience of your life, yes. Only about a thousand times."

"I mean, we all thought she was done for after those allegations hit the press, but the way she fought back-"

Rey turned to look at him. "What allegations?"

"You didn't hear? Oh geez, this was about four years ago, and she was locked, I mean, locked down tight for reelection. Everyone told me it was going to be the easiest campaign ever, because, I mean, she's Senator Organa! She's been in politics for thirty years! She got her start taking down terrorist organizations, and then took down an entire drug cartel!"

He reached down to grab some Spicy Nacho Doritos, then continued, "I did a research paper about it in one of my Poli Sci classes. It's actually a fascinating case. About twenty-five years ago, there was this one DEA agent who worked with a CI within the cartel, and-"

"Focus, Poe. The allegations."

"Right. Anyway, it's supposed to be this absolute cake-walk, and then suddenly, one day, the bastards over at the _Supremacy_ publish a front page headline about how she's a dirty politician with connections to the mob!"

Rey's mouth dropped open. "To the what?"

"That's what we said! And everyone knows that the _Supremacy_ is really owned by Senator Snoke, who uses it to take down political rivals and advance his agenda, so I don't buy it for a second."

"Right, and clearly it didn't work. So what did she do?"

"So her 'connection to the mob' was the fact that her husband used to owe money to Jabba for years while they were dating, so they tried to make it sound like she was paying off the mob while under their thumb."

He shook his head. "It was a big blow to the campaign. I only got to see her a couple of times, but everyone said she was devastated. I don't know if it was because they couldn't find out who the source was, or because these people were trying to tarnish her reputation, or what, but after a few days, she marched out and announced that she was fighting back."

Poe's eyes shone with admiration. "You should have seen her, Rey. She looked every inch a general as she rallied the troops and came up with a plan. Turns out, back in the day, she had run a classified operation, planted insiders in his organization, and used those connections to set up a sting where she took down the entire family!"

"Wow! That's insane!"

"Right?! So we gave the press the real story, the government backed her up, and she still barely won. There's talk about her not running next year, because they're not sure if she can survive another 'scandal'." He used sarcastic air quotes and shook his head in disgust. "People are idiots."

"Well I'm glad she won. She sounds really tough."

"Yeah! She's incredible." Poe glared at the car ahead of them. "Crylo up there doesn't deserve to have someone that awesome as his mom."

"Be nice," Rey told him, stealing a handful of chips. "You should thank him for letting us come."

"Yeah, right." Poe laughed until he saw Rey's face. "Wait, seriously?"

"Yes seriously. He's doing us a favor."

"Doing him a favor by not beating some manners into him." Poe mumbled, then sighed. "Okay, fine. I'll tell him thank you."

"Not sarcastically."

"Why do you want to take all the joy out of my life?"

"Because it's fun." She heard a whine and peered into the back seat in her mirror. "BB, I love you, but if you barf in my car there will be no more peanut butter for a month."

Poe turned to pet BB-8, who barked at him sadly. "I know, she is very mean."

Two hours later, they pulled up in front of a large, colonial style house.

"Wow. I think our entire apartment complex could fit in there." Rey said, stretching from the drive.

"And then some." Poe agreed as he let BB-8 out. "Okay buddy, let's do a lap, then we'll set you up with some food and water, okay?"

"Poe." Rey called, then jerked her head towards the dark TIE Fighter.

"Now?"

"It's Thanksgiving. Go give thanks." She told him unsympathetically.

With only a small groan, Poe walked over to the car as Kylo stood glaring at the house.

"Hey." Poe coughed, then nodded. "Thanks for… you know."

Kylo frowned, then turned away. "Whatever."

Rubbing her temples at the awkwardness, Rey retrieved her foil-covered rosemary bread from the back, then stood next to Kylo as he surveyed the parked cars outside the house.

"Got the whole circus in town." He muttered, folding his arms and leaning against the car door.

Rey saw the tension in his shoulders expand to the rest of his body, and slowly reached out to touch his back. He stiffened suddenly, then seemed to relax a little.

"It'll be okay." She reassured him.

"You don't know that."

She watched the windows of the house for a moment, silhouettes of hurried forms crossing back and forth, then tilted her head at him. "Yeah. I do."

Glancing at her, then kicking a pebble on the driveway, he remarked, "Clairvoyant now, are you?"

"I know they'll be happy to see you."

He snorted in disbelief.

"And, if all else fails, we can steal some food and sneak out the back."

A bit more tension trickled away as he looked at her from the corner of his eye. "Yeah?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

He sighed, then stood. "I'm holding you to that."

They walked up to the door, and as she was about to knock, she stopped and bumped his arm. "Hey. Thanks for coming."

Watching her with a strangely soft expression, he shrugged and mumbled, "Yeah. Whatever."

Taking a deep breath, Rey knocked on the door with a wide smile.

"Here we go!"


	8. Intent to Return

_Animus revertendi: "intention to return" - Wild animals, such as bees and homing pigeons, that by go 'home' by instinct_

* * *

The door swung open, and Rey was treated to the sight of Leia Organa-Solo being completely shocked.

"Ben?" She said in soft disbelief. "I thought you weren't coming."

Kylo stared off to the side and muttered, "I wasn't."

Before things took a nosedive, Rey waved with a bright smile. "Hello!"

"Rey! It's wonderful to see you!" Leia pulled her in for a warm hug.

"It's lovely to see you too! My roommate Poe is just taking his dog for a quick walk, then we'll put him outside by the car."

"Oh nonsense, bring him in! We haven't had a dog run around since Indy, our old husky, passed. It'll be good to have that joy in the house again." She looked at the oblong foil object in Rey's arm. "What's this?"

"Oh, I baked some rosemary bread. It's not a lot, but-"

"You made this? How accomplished!" Leia said as she motioned them inside.

Rey blushed. "It's not really that hard."

"Well, it's more than I can do." She told Rey as they walked into the kitchen, where Leia set the loaf down on the counter, and Rey sent Poe a quick text that BB-8 was also invited.

Also in the kitchen was an older man with thinning blond hair and bright golden eyes who was peering into the oven as they came in. "Mistress Leia, the turkey is currently at an internal temperature of 158 degrees, which indicates that it will need at least-"

He stopped at the sight of visitors, and Leia took advantage of the temporary silence. "Rey, this is Cecil Threepio. He's a political analyst and translator, and an old friend. Threepio, this is Rey, a friend of Ben's from law school."

"Mistress Rey, delighted to make your acquaintance." He bowed, then addressed Kylo, who was glowering in the background. "Master Ben! It is very good to see you. We had projected the odds of you attending at a miniscule three thousand-"

"The risotto, Threepio." Leia interrupted smoothly, gesturing behind him.

"Oh dear!" The man turned back to the stove to fuss over the rice.

"Rey!" Poe skidded in with BB-8 on a leash. "Are you sure it's alright if BB comes in-"

Poe froze as he suddenly realized who was standing in front of him. "You're… This is… I'm…"

"Poe Dameron," Leia greeted him amiably. "You worked on my campaign in Yavin, if I remember correctly."

Rey muffled a giggle as Poe could only nod in response, clearly stunned at meeting his hero and overwhelmed by her knowing who he was.

"And who's this handsome boy?" She knelt down to pet BB-8 who tried to shower her with doggie kisses.

"He's BB-8." Poe finally managed to speak. "He's the best dog I've ever had. Probably that anyone's ever had." His eyes widened. "Unless you have a dog. Then that's probably the best dog."

BB-8 barked in offense, and Leia smiled. "I agree. All dogs are the best dogs."

Standing, Leia offered, "Now, what would you like to drink? We have wine, beer, soda, and water."

Once they were all holding drinks and Poe had regained the ability to talk normally, he quickly turned to Rey, "Hey, when I was by the car earlier, it was making a kind of rumbling noise? Is that normal?"

"Ugh." Rey sighed, then handed her beer to Kylo. "Not again. I'll be right back."

She walked out the side door, not noticing the amused look Leia was giving Kylo, or his intensified blush as he quickly set her beer down on the table.

Throwing open the hood and hoping she could find whatever the issue was before it got dark, she didn't realize someone was walking towards her until she heard, "Car trouble?"

Jumping about a foot in the air (because one of the results of living in the foster system was being hyper-aware of other people's proximity), she yelped as she banged her head on the hood.

"Sorry," the gruff voice apologized. "Didn't mean to sneak up on you."

"It's alright. I was just…" Blinking, she stared at the grizzled man with grey hair and a dark vest. "You're Han Solo."

He grunted. "I used to be." Leaning his arms on the side, he asked, "What's wrong with it?"

Glad she had a topic of conversation within her comfort zone, Rey shrugged. "Not sure. It makes a rumbling noise sometimes when it's idling, and sometimes when it's parked. Maybe it's a loose cable?"

"Or the muffler." He added, peering at the engine. "Haven't seen a set-up like this before. What kind of system is it?"

Rey dug around her trunk to get out her tools. "Oh, it's custom. I built it myself."

His head came up as he squinted at her. "You did, huh? They don't really sell Chariot parts anymore."

"Tell me about it. I mostly go through junkyards and scavenge what I can. Some of the newer pieces can be retrofitted, if you know what you're looking for." She tightened one of the looser fittings as she checked the radiator.

"Normally we'd take my roommate's T-70 X, but it's in the shop, so it's up to old Rusty here to get us here and back."

Han nodded a little. "T-70. Not bad. Bit flashy for my taste."

"Yeah, his mom loves cars, so she helped him find one that was at least a decent price." Rey shook her head. "Well, doesn't look like it's anything I can fix with a wrench. I'm sure it'll get us home fine."

"I've got a box of spare parts in the garage, if you want to take a look." He offered, scratching his head. "Can't remember if anything'll fit a Chariot Speeder, but that's not saying much these days."

Rey perked up. She loved finding treasures. "I mean, if you don't mind…"

"Nah. Keeps me away from all that small talk." He said as he lifted the garage door to reveal one of the most beautiful things Rey had ever seen.

"That's the Millennium Falcon." She breathed, staring at the silver car.

Han rubbed his hand lovingly over the frame. "That she is."

Rey tilted her head, examining it with a wide smile. "This is the car that made the Kessel Run in fourteen minutes!"

"Twelve! Any moof-milker could make it in-" He stopped suddenly. "How'd you know that?"

"One of my foster parents was a bookie. He used to run game on all the street races, and sometimes they would tell stories of the fastest car they'd ever seen." Not caring about her dress, she dropped down and peeked underneath, missing the brief look of sympathy that crossed Han's face.

"Oh! You bypassed the compressor! That's how you got that much power out of it! I always thought that was a mistake in the design, since it puts-"

"Too much stress on the transmission." Han finished with her, brows furrowing in curiosity. "Leia said you were a lawyer."

Rey rolled out from under the car. "I am! Well, trying to be anyway. I want to make a difference in the world, but sometimes…" She patted the hood fondly. "Sometimes I miss working with machines."

"Huh." Han said thoughtfully.

A commanding voice came from the house. "Han! Dinner's almost ready!"

"Coming, Your Worshipfulness!" He shouted back, then sighed. "Sorry kid. Duty calls. Maybe we can look at parts later."

Rey brushed off her dress and followed him to the house. "It's alright. I can find parts anywhere, but I got to see the one and only Millenium Falcon!"

Han gave her a small smile, which disappeared as they met Kylo at the door.

"Ben." He greeted coolly as they walked inside.

Kylo narrowed his eyes. "Han."

Rey glanced between the two of them, then cautiously asked, "Is that my IPA?"

Kylo handed it over without breaking eye contact, then took a sip of his own drink.

"So," Han asked calmly as he leaned against the kitchen counter. "How long have you two been dating?"

Both Rey and Kylo promptly choked on their drinks.

"Why on earth would you-" Kylo sputtered as he tried to regain his breath.

"Oh, we're not-" Rey started at the same time, then coughed violently.

Han gave them both a shit-eating grin as he simply said, "Huh," and walked into the dining room.

Once they could breathe again, Kylo glared through the doorway. "I hate that old man."

Rey rolled her eyes and bumped his shoulder. "He's just teasing. C'mon."

Rejoining Han, who now had a beer of his own, Rey looked at the different groups and conversations going on in the room. "So, who is everyone?"

Han pointed his beer at an unbelievably tall, bearded man with long brown hair. "That's Chewbacca. Been my partner for longer than you've been alive. Best mechanic I know. He's the one who came up with bypassing the compressor."

"Wow." Rey made a mental note to talk to him about that later.

"The short, pasty guy signing over there is Artoo. He's one of those computer geniuses. Systems Architect or something. Runs a tech firm with Threepio, the goldenrod in the kitchen."

Rey watched the man with bright blue eyes gesture furiously at Chewbacca, then giggled.

Han raised an eyebrow at her. "You know sign language?"

"Some. One of my foster sisters was deaf and she taught me a little, but he's mostly just using swear words."

Narrowing his eyes across the room, Han muttered, "I knew it! Little bugger always looked like he was cussing me out."

He shook his head, then motioned to a beautiful, tall African-American woman in glasses. "That's Maz, Chewie's girlfriend. Although I'm sure you recognize her."

Rey looked at him, confused. "Should I?"

Kylo sighed, then told her, "She's the dean of our school."

"Wait, what?! That's Maz Kanata?" Rey paled, instantly feeling guilty for not doing her case reading for that week.

He gave her an exasperated look as she started wringing her hands. "Calm down. She's not going to fail you for celebrating a holiday."

"Are you sure?" She whispered. "I haven't started on the draft for my next predictive memo, and I feel like she knows!"

She was about to explain more about how behind she was when Maz stepped to the side and revealed her conversation partner.

"That's… that's…" She raised a shaking finger.

Han laughed. "Recognize him, do ya?"

"That's Luke Skywalker! He's one of the most famous lawyers in the entire galaxy!"

As if he heard her, Luke suddenly looked up at them. She could feel Kylo tense as they locked gazes, Kylo's brown eyes filled with anger and Luke's blue ones reflecting something akin to disappointment.

Rey reached up to touch his arm. "Are you okay?"

Before he could speak, Leia walked into the room and announced, "Dinner is ready! If you'll all take your seats…"

There was a small scramble for the chairs, and Rey found herself sitting between Kylo and Chewie, and across the table from Luke and Leia, while Poe was seated at the far end of the table between Threepio and Artoo, BB-8 next to him, drooling in anticipation.

Clinking her glass, Leia stood, stunning in her dark blue dress with a star emblem cut out in front.

"Now, we used to go around and speak about we're grateful for, but that's gotten a little long-winded in the past…"

Rey noticed everyone sneaking glances at Threepio, who blinked in confusion. Leia continued with a poorly concealed smile, "So you'll all be relieved to know that we'll be replacing the speeches with a few words of grace."

Everyone bowed their heads as Leia prayed, "Maker, we thank you for this time spent together with those who have travelled from near and far. We thank you for the food before us and the hands that have prepared it. Thank you for family, for friends, for health, and for grace. May we live this and every day conscious of all that has been given to us. Amen."

There was a chorus of 'Amen's, and then a clatter of voices and silverware as the dishes were passed around. Rey scarfed down some of everything, then swallowed long enough to ask Chewie about how he kept the Falcon's engine in such great condition.

Preening a bit, he told her it wasn't so much about maintaining the engine, it was about maintaining his sanity whenever Han came up with a new way to do anything.

Laughing loudly, Rey covered her mouth as Han glared good-naturedly at them from down the table.

Kylo was staring at her in disbelief. "You can understand him?"

Rey blinked. Chewie's accent was thick, to be sure, and he used some colloquialisms, but it wasn't like he was speaking another language. "You can't?"

Flushed angrily, Kylo stabbed at his gravy-covered turkey.

"So. Ben." Luke asked in a low, arch tone. "Still on the same path?"

Kylo clenched his jaw as he met his uncle's gaze. "Still corporate law, yes."

Luke raised an eyebrow at him. "Still think the world should burn?"

Furrowing her brows, Rey glanced between them, trying to decipher the conversation beneath the spoken one.

"The world is broken beyond repair." Kylo said shortly. "Anyone who think they can fix it is a fool." Rey turned to look at him, unsettled by the anger in his voice.

Baring his teeth in a semblance of a smile, Luke continued, "Might as well make a profit until it all ends?"

"Better than being a self-righteous hypocrite." Kylo bit out, gripping his fork so tightly Rey feared the metal would break.

Luke opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by a stern, commanding, " _Luke."_

He looked at his sister, and they exchange an almost telepathic conversation, punctuated by narrowed eyes, pressed lips, and a powerful glare that caused Luke to nod slightly in defeat. Rey nearly gaped at the pure, raw power emanating from Leia that could trump her brother's will.

Taking a few bites and a sip of his wine, he then looked up with a smile. "So. Rey."

She glanced up in a mix of fear and awe as Luke Skywalker watched her with a hint of amusement.

"I assume you've been following Glatt, et al versus Searchlight Pictures in the news. What are your thoughts on the case?"

Rey's mind immediately went blank as Leia shot him a rebuking look. "Don't harass my guests, Luke. She's in my home, not your classroom."

Luke waved away her concern. "Any student aspiring to law should be appraised of current events, especially high-profile cases such as this one."

"Glatt v Searchlight isn't that high-profile and you know it. She has other things to think about." Kylo snapped unexpectedly, which seemed especially interesting to both Luke and Leia.

Raising an eyebrow, Luke opened his mouth but was quickly interrupted.

"I think it's an important precedent for establishing how the entertainment industry should treat both interns and employees." Rey announced, hoping she sounded confident.

Multiple eyes turned to her as she continued, "The company's unpaid internship program did violate minimum wage and overtime laws, and they should have been classified and paid as actual employees, as per the Fair Labor Standards Act."

There was a beat of silence, then Luke gave her a challenging grin. "And according to the FLSA standards, what are the acceptable terms for unpaid internships?"

"The Socratic Method, Luke?" A low, melodic voice asked wryly as Maz leaned forward on the other side of Chewie and winked at Rey. "Bit outdated, wouldn't you say?"

"It's an important tool for forcing students to question their assumptions and consider broader implications." Luke replied with the ease of an old argument.

"It creates an unhealthy adversarial relationship between instructor and students." Maz pointed out, and Rey felt a wave of relief as the conversation veered away from grilling her about cases she should know in favor of the different teaching methodologies.

She heard a door close down the hall, then whispered to Kylo, "Is there another bathroom? Someone just went into that one."

Still frowning at Luke, Kylo answered, "Upstairs, down the hall. Third door on the right."

"Thanks."

After using the bathroom and checking her hair, Rey walked back out into the hallway, then stopped to examine an old family photo on the wall. There was a beautiful younger Leia, a roguish, smirking Han, and Rey laughed when she saw a ten year old Ben wearing a great 80's style sweater.

Tilting her head, she studied the picture thoughtfully. This boy in the photo, with his bowl cut, ears he hadn't grown into yet, and shy smile _was_ Ben. He had none of the darkness that haunted Kylo's eyes, none of the anger that lined his face, or the weight have hunched his shoulders.

"What happened to you?" She asked the photo, gently tracing his outline.

As if in answer, she heard the door next to her creak open, and she blinked in surprise as she saw an Iron Maiden poster through the crack.

Unable to resist, she curiously pushed the door the rest of the way open, revealing a room with dark blue walls covered with posters for bands and movies, the back of the door emblazoned with a hand-painted sign that declared "Property of Ben Solo. KEEP OUT!"

She trailed her hands along the shelves filled with toy robots and model planes, comic books and detective stories, fascinated by this peek into Kylo's past. Looking around, she could almost see the passing of years, the childhood games set next to high school books and cds of metal bands, the worn stuffed animals sitting next to a boxy desktop computer.

Noticing a framed picture of a small Ben proudly holding up a fuzzy bear in front of a Christmas tree, Rey grinned as she saw the same well-loved stuffed bear sitting on the bed, patches of fur missing or washed flat. As she reached out to pick the toy up, she heard a dark, forbidding voice behind her.

"What do you think you're doing?"


	9. Strong Attachment, Stronger Presumption

_Fortis attachiamentum, validior praesumptionem: "strong attachment, the stronger presumption"_

* * *

"What do you think you're doing?"

Rey jumped a little, then muttered, "Geez. What is with the Solo men and sneaking up on me today?"

Kylo glowered at her. "Enjoying snooping? Any qualms about invading my privacy?"

"I was not snooping, the door was open. And I only have one question." She held up the stuffed animal with a wide grin. "Who is this little guy?"

Kylo looked at her with a mixture of embarrassment and panic. "Put that down!"

"After you tell me his name. Please say it's Mr. Fuzzycuddles."

"That is not his name." Kylo snapped as he grabbed the bear and set it back down on the bed, then blushed. "I mean, it doesn't have a name."

"Oh, come on. Any bear that loved definitely had a name." Rey teased as she sat on his bed, bouncing a little.

"Right. Like you named your toys."

"Of course I did. I had this little doll when I was… eight, I think? I made her out of an orange vest someone threw away, other scraps of fabric, and some string. Her name was Captain Dosmit Raeh," Kylo raised an eyebrow at her as she replied, "R-A-E-H, totally different from my name. She was a famous war pilot who would fly down, rescue kids in trouble, then fly away."

She smiled as she gently patted the bear. "I called her Dozzie. All the other kids told me girls can't be pilots, but I pretended anyway."

"Do you still have it?"

Rey shook her head. "One of my foster parents threw away everything I had when I stopped him from hitting one of the younger kids."

Something flashed across Kylo's face, and he turned away to stare at the bookshelf.

"Huh." He said, and Rey bit back a smile at how much he sounded like his dad. "Everything is just the same as the day I left." Looking around at the walls, he shook his head. "Kind of creepy."

"How old were you?"

"Seventeen."

"Maybe they hoped you'd be back." Rey offered, and he snorted in response.

"Not likely." He picked up a photo of his twelve year old self standing with his parents at the front of the Senate, Han and Leia looking like the perfect political power couple in her white dress and his military uniform, preteen Ben all gangling arms and legs, gray suit hanging awkwardly on his tall frame.

"None of this was me, anyway. They never knew the real me. Never wanted to either." He frowned back at his younger self.

"They only thought of me when they needed to show off their perfect family to the press and politicians. Only cared to talk to me when I wasn't what they wanted. When I was a _disappointment."_ He forcefully slammed the photo facedown on the last word.

"I was never anything but a prop to them. Something to pose with, to make pictures look complete. Something to use, then ignore." Glancing up at the door, he sneered at the handmade sign. "But not now. I'm done with them. Ben Solo doesn't exist anymore."

Rey watched him for a few moments, concern in her eyes, then softly asked, "So who are you, then?"

He whirled around, as if he had forgotten she was there.

"Because maybe you're not Ben Solo anymore." She shrugged a little as she looked at the photo of him and his bear. "But I don't think you're all Kylo Ren, either."

Disquieted, Kylo warily meet her soft gaze, "What do you mean?"

"I mean…" She searched for the right words, "I can see Ben in you sometimes. When you're tired, or think I'm being ridiculous. He's still there, somewhere. He's just hidden behind all the…"

"All the what?"

Meeting his eyes, she quietly finished, "All your anger."

He stared at her, taken aback.

"You carry so much anger with you. All the time. And sometimes I think…" Sighing, she changed tack, "Look, when you're in the system, and your whole life you've been unwanted, there are only two ways to survive.

"First, you can look back at everything and decide to treat the whole world like it treated you - treat it like garbage, like everyone's out to get you. You don't trust anyone, don't help anyone, and soon all you can see is darkness and hate."

She looked up at him, then said in an almost broken voice, "But that's such a small, heavy way to live." Rubbing her arm, she picked at the duvet cover. "Trust me, I know."

Slowly, softly, Kylo took a step forward. "What's the second way?"

She gave him a half-grin and said simply, "You have hope. Because yes, the world is broken, but instead of giving up, you try to help others, to make it better. Make yourself better." She shrugged self-consciously, "Maybe we can't save the whole world. But we might be able to fix part of it."

There was a long beat of silence, then Kylo told her, "I'm not sure I believe that."

"But you're listening."

They both turned as Leia's voice drifted upstairs. "Dessert's almost ready!"

Rey sighed, then hopped off the bed. "Well, we should get going."

As she passed him, Kylo shook his head a little, then muttered, "Wicket."

"Huh?"

"The bear. His name is Wicket."

Rey's eyes grew wide as she tried her utmost best to keep from smiling. "Like the posts in cricket?"

"Threepio kept talking about it when I was a kid, and it sounded like a name to me. I don't know, I was five."

"That is the cutest thing I have heard all day."

"No, it is not cute, it is not- wipe that grin off your face!"

"This is so much better than Mr. Fuzzycuddles."

"See, now I regret telling you anything."

"But he's so adorable! Wook at the wittle Wicket." She waved to the bear as Kylo closed the door behind them.

"You say one word about this to anyone-"

"Yeah yeah yeah. You'll go all scary Kylo Ren, I know." Winking at him, she skipped down the stairs.

"I don't like that. Why did you wink? _Why did you wink?"_ He demanded as he followed her down to the dining room.

Rey was still grinning half an hour later as she excused herself from talking with Poe and Chewie about the the merits of domestic versus foreign cars. She had just grabbed a soda when Luke seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"Rey."

Trying not to jump (what was with this family and sneaking up on people?), Rey desperately wracked her brain for more recent cases she had read.

"I just wanted to tell you to be careful."

Rey blinked in surprise, and nearly held up her soda as evidence that she wasn't planning to drive drunk, or even tipsy.

"Ben is not the man you think he is." The older man warned her in a low, intense tone, and both of them glanced over to where Kylo was staring at them. If she didn't know better, she might have said that Kylo looked almost… afraid.

She was searching for a neutral answer when her back straightened, her chin lifted, and a small spark of fire was suddenly in her eyes. "I think he's someone who's lost his way, and he believes he can't turn to or trust anyone. Including his family."

Part of her may have been envisioning all the ways that statement could jeopardize her future, her hands may have been shaking a little, but she stood tall as Luke scrutinized her for a moment, then shook his head. "Impressive. Every word in that sentence was wrong."

He turned to look at his nephew once more, and Rey jolted a little as the glass in Kylo's hand shattered.

Luke watched the pieces fall, then turned to Rey with a mixture of interest and curiosity. "But, it seems that even a wrong answer is not without value."

He handed her a card, then bowed his head slightly. "If you ever need to talk."

As quickly as he had appeared, Luke was gone. Rey was peering around to try and see where he went when Kylo rushed towards her, grabbing her arm and steering her into the hallway.

"What did he tell you?" He demanded in a low growl, his hand painfully tight around her bicep. "What did he say?"

Rey stared at him, then her arm. Kylo came back to himself and let her go, taking a step backwards.

"Nothing." She said, unsettled by his actions, by his tone. "We were just talking."

He rubbed his neck, then flinched as she touched the imprint from his hand above her elbow.

"I didn't… I need to go. I need to get out of here." He mumbled in a rush, then grabbed his coat and fled out the door.

Surprised into stillness, Rey finally gathered herself and went after him. Peering through the dark, she saw him open his car door.

"Hey! Hang on," she called out as she made a beeline for the small light. "Ren, what was that-"

"What?" He bellowed, "What do you want from me?"

She stopped, barely recognizing his face as it contorted in anger. "Nothing."

As the silence stretched between them, she let out a stung breath, then turned back towards the house.

"Rey, wait."

She moved her head just enough to see him run his hands through his hair.

"I'm sorry." He said finally, the stiff anger trickling away. "I shouldn't have… this place just… the way they were looking at me…"

It was the tinge of defeat in his tone and body that convinced her to walk the rest of the way to the car.

"I can't stay here." He told the ground, head hanging and shoulders hunched.

"Hey."

He lifted his head enough to meet her resolute gaze.

"Don't you ever grab me like that again."

"I won't. It was just... those people and…" He stopped as he caught sight of her eyes. "I won't."

"Good."

He shifted his weight, then, almost as a question, said, "I just… I need to leave."

Studying him for a moment, Rey realized what he reminded her of, why the look in his eyes seemed familiar - he looked hunted, filled with fear and anxiety and a nervous energy burning inside him.

She nodded, and his shoulders relaxed a little in relief.

"You should say good-bye to your mom, at least."

He shook his head. "I can't. If I go back in there-"

"Ben?" Leia's frame was silhouetted by the light inside as Rey shot Kylo a look.

"She misses you."

He let out a small groan. "Fine."

As he walked towards her, Leia glanced between him and the car. "Are you leaving?"

"Yes. I need to go."

"But you haven't even had dessert-"

"Mom."

Leia pressed her lips together at his dark look, then pulled him down for a hug.

"It was so good to have you home." She spoke into his shoulder, then released him.

She looked at him for a few more seconds, then kissed his cheek. "I love you."

"I know." He answered finally, then turned away.

Taking a deep breath, Leia turned to Rey, "Are you leaving too?"

"Oh no, I'll be back inside in a minute."

"Alright." Leia gave Kylo another pained look, then returned to the house with heavy steps.

"There, happy now?" He asked snidely, and Rey felt a flash of guilt about asking him to come here. She could see the stress manifesting itself in the bitterness in his voice, how he stood, the way he was using the car door as a shield between himself and the house.

"Yeah, I am." She said finally.

He turned to her, startled. "Seriously? That didn't seem like a complete disaster to you?"

"Better than anything I ever had."

"Hmph. I guess the key is to have no expectations."

Glancing at him, watching the way he held himself, Rey touched his arm gently, "Thank you, by the way. I know this isn't how you wanted to spend your day, but…" she looked up at him with a small smile, "I loved it."

He slowly uncrossed his arms and gave her a sidelong look. "Really?"

"Really. So, thank you."

Scoffing a little, he leaned back against the car door. "She's the one who invited you."

"Yeah, but you let us come."

On a sudden, impulsive whim, she stood on her tiptoes and pressed a quick kiss against his cheek. "Happy Thanksgiving, Ren."

She rushed back into the house before he could laugh at her, or pull away in disgust, and so missed the shell-shocked look on his face, and how he watched her run up the steps with a dangerous, desperate hope, something like hunger in his eyes.

The first thing she saw when she came through the door was Leia sitting in a chair by the counter, her eyes closed and shoulders drooping with weight.

"Are… are you okay?" Rey asked hesitantly.

Straightening, Leia gave her a tired smile. "Of course. I knew having him back wouldn't be easy, but…" She took Rey's hand. "Thank you for bringing him home."

"Oh, it's… He wanted to come."

Leia laughed kindly. "No he didn't. But he came anyway."

They both looked out as Kylo's car peeled out of the driveway.

"That's got to mean something." Rey offered.

Leia smiled softly. "It means you are a remarkable young woman, Rey. And I'm glad he has you as a friend."

"Mistress Leia!" Threepio called out anxiously as he shuffled in. "Master Han was wondering if the existence of the dessert was merely an elaborate hoax, despite my informing him that-"

"It's alright, Threepio. One moment."

Leia stood and Rey stepped forward to grab some plates. "Here, let me help."

As they distributed pie and ice cream around the table, Luke, Maz, and Han were all debating amiably about politics.

"I think you're underestimating the general masses." Maz argued after thanking Rey for the dessert. "If the information is available and publicized-"

Luke shook his head. "All the information in the world won't change someone's mind if Snoke is telling them exactly what they want to hear."

"And there's no accounting for good old pure stupidity." Han added as he leaned back in his chair. "People'll believe anything these days. Remember that time Threepio started a cult?"

Rey, who had just brought in the carafe of coffee, stared open-mouthed and Poe grinned widely and asked, "What?"

"Oh yeah. We were in some godforsaken forest-"

"Doing important charity work." Leia explained with a look at her husband.

"Sure, sure. Then we run into the locals, and the professor over here," he jerked his thumb at Threepio, "says he knows the language. So he starts talking to them, next thing we know, they're all humming and singing and frickin' worshiping the guy!"

Artoo rolled his eyes, then added some snarky gestures.

"Mistranslated?!" Threepio repeated, clearly offended. "I've never mistranslated anything in my life! Meanwhile, your shoddy codework nearly fried every server we have multiple times!"

Affronted, Artoo replied with more signs Rey recognized from her foster sister as particularly insulting expletives.

"Don't you call me a mindless philosopher, you half-sized glob of grease!"

Rey laughed with the rest of the table, and then listened in fascination as the adults told stories from their youth, Chewie mumbling clarifications to Rey whenever Han's near-death escapes got a little too fanciful.

At the end of the night, Rey reluctantly stretched and announced that she and Poe should probably hit the road soon. Leia called Poe into the kitchen and loaded him up with containers of leftovers, BB-8 happily pouncing on any scraps that fell to the floor.

"I remember those starving student days. I'm sure you three will run through these in no time." She told him with a smile as Poe profusely thanked her.

Han grunted at Rey, then motioned towards the door. "Let's go see if there's anything for your Speeder collecting dust in the garage."

"Really? I don't want to put you to any trouble-"

"Pfft. Her Highnessness has been after me to clean out those boxes for ages. You'll be doing me a favor."

Rey followed him out, and after a few more admiring looks at the Falcon, dug through the spare part boxes with glee.

"Were you looking for something in particular with this box?" Rey asked after finding yet another vintage piston. "You've got a great collection of pistons and and fuel pumps."

"Eh, one of the problems with a modified vintage engine is that you can't find anything to fit. If it's old enough, it can't be modified. If it can be customized, it's not old enough."

"Well, I'll keep my eye out for you at my usual spots." Rey volunteered, earning her a blunt nod of thanks as she stood.

"Here," Han held out a box of spark plugs. "Every car needs extras."

Rey smiled as she took it. "Thanks!"

Han shrugged gruffly. "It's good to know that at least some kids your age aren't completely hopeless."

Returning to the house, Rey and Poe made their rounds of good-byes, with a gentle hug from Chewie and a playful warning about keeping her grades up from Maz.

Luke simply nodded at her, his warning still echoing in her mind.

Leia embraced Poe, who nearly died of happiness, then rubbed BB-8's ears one more time before drawing Rey aside.

"Rey, I was wondering if you'd feel comfortable giving me your number."

She gaped for a moment, then quickly dug out her phone, "Of course! I'd be honored."

As Leia typed her number in, Rey asked, "It's so you can check on Ren, right?"

"Partly, but also so I can check on you."

"Me?" Rey blinked. "Why me?"

Leia smiled. "Because you are an impressive young woman, Rey. And you deserve to have people looking out for you."

As she was pulled into an affectionate hug, Rey bit her lip to keep the prick of tears away.

"Alright kid," Han said as he came out, "roads aren't too bad, but drive her easy until you figure out that noise."

"I will." Rey promised.

"And if you ever get tired of lawyering, Chewie and I own a mechanic shop that could use some new blood."

Rey stared at him for a moment, a slow grin growing on her face. "Are you offering me a job?"

"We wouldn't be nice to you. And the pay is crap."

Her smile widened. "You're offering me a job."

Han narrowed his eyes at her as Leia shook her head in fond exasperation. "I was thinking about it."

"Well, if you were, I'd be flattered. But I think I'm on the path I'm supposed to be."

"Too bad. Chewie kind of likes you."

A muffled roar from the house told Rey that was the highest compliment Han had ever given anyone.

"Stop putting mushy words in my mouth!" Han growled back as Rey stifled a giggle.

"Check with me after the bar, though. If I fail it, I might take you up on that."

Han shot her a wry look. "You'll pass it, but I'll check with you anyway."

"Han," Leia teased, "Chewie's right. You keep using that flowery language and I'll start getting jealous."

"That was not- I wasn't- I didn't even say- Hmph!" Han stormed off as Leia winked at Rey.

"Drive safe, dear." She told Rey warmly.

After waving at the house multiple times, Rey and Poe climbed into her car and drove out to the main road.

"Well, I think that was a successful introduction to the in-laws." Poe commented as he wagged his eyebrows at her.

She grabbed one of the bread rolls Poe was snacking on and stuffed it in his mouth as she fought off a blush. "You, hush. And by the way, if BB-8 barfs in my car, I swear I'm cleaning it up with your pillowcase."

"Whoa! Easy on the threats! What would your boyfriend's mother think?" He teased, then dodged the next roll. "Hey! I was about to eat that!"

As Rey rounded the wide curves of the road, she could still feel the warmth of Leia's hug, of Han's gift, of Chewie's rumbling laugh, and thought that if she was to have a family, she could hope to have one as loving as theirs.


	10. A New Action Coming Between

_Novus actus interveniens: "a new action coming between" - A break in causation because something else has happened to remove the causal link._

* * *

As Kylo sped back to his townhouse, screeching around corners and racing around slower drivers, desperate to leave that _place_ , those _people_ behind, he came to one inescapable conclusion.

Rey was completely, deviously, deceptively _dangerous_.

That was the only explanation for how he found himself in the house he swore he'd never return to, eating at their table as if they were one big, happy family. Maker, he had hoped to never _speak_ to any of them again, let alone spend hours and hours at this bizarre charade of a holiday.

But Rey had asked, had looked at him with those eyes, not-quite-hidden pain flashing across her face, and his iron will, which had survived years of familial guilt and a barrage of outside pressures, had simply melted away.

Ignoring the blaring horn of the cars he was passing, he slammed his fist onto the steering wheel. What the hell had she done to him?

He finally had his life the way he wanted it, the solitude, the silence, the self-sufficiency, and she swans in with her lack of boundaries, her assumptions and presumptions, her messy clothes and hair and habits, and acts like she belongs in his things, his house, his _life._

But the thing that terrified him most was how it _felt_ like she belonged.

Now, his living room seemed too quiet without her incessant chatter, the table too bare without her ancient laptop and ratty bag cluttering the surface, the couch too big without her nesting in the corner with pillows and snacks.

At first he has simply noticed her absence, which was strange enough, but now, it was almost a void.

 _You miss her_ , a voice that sounded alarmingly like Ben Solo pointed out. _You miss how warm she is._

"Do not." He snapped out loud, yanking the steering wheel around the turn.

A rush of memories seemed to disagree.

The way her eyes lit up when he offered her food. Her peaceful glow as she slept next to him on the couch. The fire in her voice when she argued with him. Her incandescent smile as she triumphantly fixed his espresso machine. The heat in his cheeks as she padded past him, his clothes enveloping her small frame. The gentle warmth of her hand as she touched his arm. The scorching heat searing his neck as she stood on her tiptoes to-

He reached up and gingerly felt his face, the imprint of her lips still burning on his cheek.

Headlights blinded him for a moment, and he snatched his hand back.

Absolutely, inescapably, _dangerous_.

Something was definitely going on with Kylo Ren, Rey decided a few days later.

They were studying at his place, as usual, but he was being extra fussy about her papers spread across the table and making sure she washed out her espresso cup, and just generally being… twitchy.

The last straw was when she went to grab more SunChips out of her cupboard.

"Hey, did you buy more snacks?" She asked in a puzzled voice, then turned to see him wince for some reason.

"Why would I buy more? Your junk food is disgusting."

"So you've told me, but there's 21 bags of chips in here now, and last time there were only nine."

"How do you know how many chip bags there are?"

She tilted her head. "You don't have a running inventory of food?"

"No! Why would anyone-" He stopped, then glanced at her with something almost like understanding. "Look, whatever, can we please get back to studying?"

"Geez, fine." She grabbed some chips and a packet of Skittles, then returned to her seat. "Hey, can we move to the couch? This chairs are shiny and futuristic and all, but not super comfortable."

His eyes flicked from her to the couch, then his face reddened. "No. No more distractions. Now, when you do your opening statement-"

"Are you feeling okay?" Rey tilted her head at him. "You look a little flushed." She reached out her hand, "Here, let me feel your forehead."

Kylo jumped back as if her hand was on fire. "I'm fine!"

"Are you sure? You're kind of jumpy. And extra moody."

"I am not moody!" He shouted, and Rey simply raised a wry eyebrow.

"Sure you're not."

He glared, then poured himself a glass of water as Rey rolled her eyes and reorganized her papers.

An hour or so later, as Kylo was quizzing her on the cross-examination, Rey was interrupted by his phone buzzing with _Mom Cell Calling_ on the screen.

 _Bzz. Bzz._

 _Bzz. Bzz._

Rey peeked at him. "You going to get that?"

 _Bzz. Bzz._

"Nope."

 _Bzz. Bzz._

"You sure?"

 _Bzz. Bzz._

"Yup."

The phone finally fell silent, and Rey tried to resist giving him a judgemental look around her laptop.

" _Who run the world? Girls! We run this motha!"_ Her phone played loudly, and Rey smiled at the caller ID.

"Don't you dare!" Kylo hissed at her, and she gave him a shit-eating grin as she picked up the phone.

"Why, hello Leia!"

"Rey! So lovely to hear your voice. How are you?"

"I'm doing well, just studying over here at Ren's."

"Oh, you are? Is my son there?"

Rey looked over at Kylo with the question, and he shook his head emphatically.

"Why yes he is!" Rey announced loudly as he shot her a death glare. "Hang on, let me put you on speaker. Say hi, Ren!"

Scowling darkly, he held her gaze until Rey put a dramatic hand over her heart and mouthed, _You won't even say hello to your mother?_

Shaking his head, he finally muttered a begrudging "Hi."

"Hello sweetheart. Your father and I were wondering about your plans for Christmas. When were you thinking of coming up?"

"I'm not. I have finals."

"Your last final is on the 2nd, dear." Leia reminded him gently.

Kylo narrowed his eyes at the phone. "How do you know that?"

"Rey told me last time we talked."

His head snapped up as he covered the microphone. "You talk to my mother?"

Rey shrugged nonchalantly and moved his hand. "We chat."

"Oh, and Rey, what are your plans for the holidays? Are you spending them with Poe?"

"Actually Poe drives out with BB-8 to see his family for the holidays, but Finn and I always have Christmas together," Rey told her, then stopped as a thought suddenly occurred to her. "Although… that might change this year, I guess."

"Well, if it does, we'd love to have you up to the house for Christmas."

Rey stopped breathing for a moment, then asked softly, "Me?"

"Absolutely. Han and I truly enjoyed having you up here for Thanksgiving, and we'd love to spend Christmas with you as well."

A gruff voice in the background called out, "You can even bring Ben, if you want to."

Leia hushed Han as Kylo frowned at the phone.

"Anyway, just let us know what your plans are once you have your schedule."

"Okay, I will! Thank you!"

"And Kylo, sweetheart?"

"What?" He growled, already tensing up.

"Good luck on your finals. I'm sure you'll do great."

Kylo blinked, then stared at the screen in suspicion before finally saying, "Thanks."

"You too, Rey. Have a good night."

"Thanks! Say hi to Han for me!"

He narrowed his eyes at her for a few seconds, then repeated sarcastically, "You chat?"

"She asked me for my rosemary bread recipe." Rey told him as she typed notes on her laptop.

"What do you even talk about?"

She rolled her eyes at him. "Not you, Mr. Narcissist."

"You told her my schedule."

"I told her _my_ schedule. We're in the same class, and it's the last time slot for finals. I'm pretty sure your mom is smart enough to figure that out on her own."

"Hmph." He conceded, then grumbled, "Can't believe they ask you about your plans, but just assume I'm coming."

Rey looked up at him. "Aren't you?"

"Of course not. You saw what they were like with guests listening in. Imagine what it'd be like without them trying to save face."

Opening her mouth, Rey thought the better of it, and focused on highlighting the main points of her arguments.

Kylo stretched, then pulled up the espresso maker app on his phone. "I need more caffeine. Want some?"

"No thanks," Rey replied, not looking away from her notes.

He stood, got out a cup, watched it fill up, then came back to the table, watching her scribble in uncharacteristic silence the whole time.

"You think I should go."

"I didn't say anything."

"Oh yeah, you were not saying anything very loudly. If you want to say something, spit it out."

"Not now."

"Not now?! What does that mean?" He demanded.

"It means you're extra irritable, I'm tired, and I think I should save any arguments for when I've had some sleep and you're in a better mood so we can actually have a productive conversation."

He stared at her, trying to find something to fight about in there, and eventually settled with a mumbled, "Fine. Whatever."

After a few more minutes of studying, Rey rubbed her face, then gathered her papers. "Look, you don't have to, but I'm moving over to the couch."

"You're going to fall asleep."

"Will not." She yawned, pulling the plush blanket around her and turning the heater on. "That's right. Come to mama."

Kylo shook his head, then stared at his case reading until he got up enough courage to ask, "Rey?"

"Hm?" She replied, closing her eyes.

"What did you mean that your plans might change?"

"Oh, well, ever since Finn and I found each other, we have Christmas with just the two of us." She explained, missing the brief flash of jealousy that crossed Kylo's face.

"But this year, Finn got invited to Rose's family's Thanksgiving. So, since they're dating, he might go there for Christmas too." Snuggling down deeper into the couch, she continued, "And even if I'm alone, it's okay. I want him to be happy. He deserves it."

Kylo peered around the couch to see Rey already half asleep. Sighing, he got up and pulled the blanket down over her feet, then sat gently on the coffee table, wrestling with himself.

"Rey, you… even if Flynn goes-"

"Finn."

"Sure, Finn, whatever."

"Not whatever," she argued drowsily. "He's Finn. He's my family." She nuzzled one of his throw pillows, then added, "My only family."

Attempting to ignore the sudden tightness in his chest, he tried again, "Fine, so even if Finn goes with… his girlfriend, you don't have to be alone on Christmas."

"'S okay." She yawned. "'M used to being alone."

"No, that's what I'm… If you're going to be… I'm not going anywhere, so we'll both be alone, and we could be alone… together." He finished lamely, cringing at how pathetic he sounded.

"'N then go to your parents?"

"What? No. Look, it's different for you because they actually like you-"

"M'be. But they love you. C'n tell." She put out one arm blindly, feeling around until she was patting him on the knee. "You d'serve to be happy too. Fam'ly makes me happy, so m'be it'll make you happy."

Shocked into stillness, he could barely make out her next words. "I jus' wan' you to be happy, Ren."

As her breathing evened out and her arm drooped, Kylo could not help but stare at her, all the emotions he knew to be weakness flowing through his veins. He used every ounce of his will to stand, to try and walk away from her before it was too late.

Her hand shot out to grab his with a small, sleepy moan of protest.

The last bit of his self-control vanished at that sound, and he slowly sat back down, yielding to her subconscious demand. As he held her hand, so much smaller than his own, studying the scars on her fingers and the freckles on her face, he only had one clear thought in his mind:

 _Shit._


	11. Let The Buyer Beware

_Caveat emptor: "Let the buyer beware"_

* * *

"And here's some fresh made hot cocoa!" Finn pressed the warm mug into her hand with a wide smile. "With chocolate crumbles!"

Rey glanced between the spicy dark chocolate bar, the mug topped with whipped cream, and her overly perky roommate. "Okay Finn, what did you do?"

"What? I didn't do anything! Do I need a reason to be nice to my bestie?"

"Okay, first, never say 'bestie' again. Second, you really don't need a reason to be nice to me, but third, you only break out the good chocolate when I'm dying of cramps or you want a favor."

"Now that is just patently untrue-"

"You broke your phone again, didn't you? I told you, you have to flick the ball at the Pokemon, not chuck the whole thing at it."

"I haven't broken anything! I just… I want you to be in a good mood."

"Oh my God, you need me to help you bury a body!"

Finn shot her a look, then sat next to her on the couch. "Ha. Ha. Look, I just need to get this all out before you react, okay?"

Rey nodded and sipped her drink. "Okay."

"Alright. Here we go." Finn took a few readying breaths, then opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

Rey finally relented and put him out of his misery. "Let me guess. Rose asked you to go with her for Christmas."

"Yes! How did you know?"

Hoping her smile didn't reflect the small, selfish sting in her heart, Rey laughed. "Finn, a blind man could see the way Rose looks at you. It was only a matter of time before she asked."

"But I told her, Thanksgiving was one thing, but this is Christmas, and we do Christmas with just us. You and me. Together."

Biting back a sudden urge to cry, Rey set her mug down and pulled Finn into a tight hug.

Once she released him, she smiled, then said, "Go."

"Wait, what? Peanut, I just said-"

"I know. And I love you for that. Now, go."

"No, no. I'm not leaving you alone at Christmas. Rose offered-"

"It's okay, Finn. I promise. And besides," she picked her hot cocoa up and kept her eyes on the melting chocolate shavings, "I actually got an invitation, so I won't be alone."

Finn frowned. "Really? From who?"

Rey was suddenly very involved in unwrapping her chocolate bar. "From Senator Leia Organa."

After a moment of silence, she peeked up at Finn, who was pressing his lips together disapprovingly.

Sighing, she asked, "What? I thought you'd be happy that I wouldn't be alone."

"Look, it's just…"

"It's just what? Leia personally invited me, Finn, and she's literally the nicest-"

"It's not about… It's _him."_

Rey blinked. "What about him?"

"I worried, okay? He's not exactly the nicest human being."

"We can't all be Rose, Finn."

"The other day he was behind me in line at the coffee cart, and when I took the last scone, he called me a traitor!"

"Alright, so he's not great with people."

"He's careless, Rey." Finn told her, voice low and distressed. "Careless with his words, his actions, and especially careless with other people."

Leaning back, he fiddled with the torn edge of the couch. "I just… I don't want you to get hurt."

She smiled softly and touched his arm. "Thanks, peanut, but I promise I'll be okay. And shouldn't I be giving you this speech?"

Finn looked startled. "Why? You think Rose is going to hurt me?"

"No, dummy, I think you're going to say something stupid that hurts her and then she'll dump you."

"Okay, I know you're joking, but I've honestly had nightmares about that."

Rey laughed, then offered him part of her chocolate bar. "You talk to her, right?"

"Of course I talk to her! I swear, all I do is talk because I just want to tell her everything."

"So make sure you listen as much as you talk, and you'll be fine." She leaned back with a knowing nod.

Finn took a bite of chocolate, then pointed it at her. "I am a good listener."

"You're a great listener. That's why I keep you around." Taking a long slurp of her drink, she added, "that and your hot cocoa."

"Really? Those are my only good points?"

Rey tapped her chin, pretending to think, "Hmm, yeah, that's about it," then dodged the wrapper he chucked at her.

"Hey," Rey broached cautiously over their next study session. "Can I ask you something?"

"Technically, you already have." Kylo replied, absentmindedly shuffling through cases.

She rolled her eyes. "Okay, something else then."

"Fine. What?"

Rey tapped her pen on the table, then asked slowly, "Have you thought at all about…"

Kylo sighed as he set down the papers and grabbed an espresso cup. "About what?"

"You know... Your parents' place? The holidays?"

He suddenly froze, then slowly reached up to his cheek. As a scarlet blush crept up his neck, he snatched his hand away and started sputtering.

"I… What do you… No. Of course not. Why would I? ...Have you?"

"Well, yeah, I've been thinking about it a lot, actually."

His eyes grew wide and he ventured a small, "You have?"

"Yeah. I mean, it could change things, so…

"It could?"

"Well, of course. And I wanted to check with you and get your thoughts about it."

He pointed a shaking finger at himself. "My thoughts?"

"Yes, your thoughts. And maybe check with your mom again to see if it's okay."

"Wait, check with my mom? _Again?_ You…" Kylo glanced around, then whispered, "She knows?"

She frowned at him. "Of course she knows. She invited us."

"What?"

"What?"

He gave her a slightly panicked look. "What you talking about?"

"I'm talking about your mom inviting me up for Christmas." She cocked her head to the side. "What are you talking about?"

Coloring, he tried to take a sip of his espresso, then choked on it. "Nothing," he managed after a bout of coughing.

She raised an eyebrow at him, then shrugged. "Look, I was just asking because I'm trying to figure out my plans and where I'm going."

"Why? Both your boyfriends leaving you alone for the holidays?" He asked snidely.

"Okay, first, Finn is my family. Second, Poe is my friend. And third, you know both of those things. So are you going or not?"

"You've clearly made up your mind, so go without me." He grumbled into his coffee.

Rey shifted a little. "I don't… I don't want to."

His head snapped up to look at her. "You don't?"

"No. I mean, they're your parents, they invited both of us, and I…" she shuffled her notes around, then added, "You shouldn't be alone at Christmas."

She looked up to find him watching her with an oddly soft, unreadable expression.

"Look, if you really don't want to go, it's okay. I'll figure something out. Rose offered to let me come, I can just-"

The espresso cup clattered into the sink. "Fine."

"What?"

"Fine. We'll go."

Her eyes filling with tentative hope, she asked, "Really?"

He let out a long, put-upon sigh. "Really."

Shrieking with joy, she leapt up and tackled him in a hug.

"Oh my God, thank you. Thank you thank you thank you. You won't regret this, I promise," she assured him as his face started turning crimson.

"Already am," he muttered half-heartedly.

Stepping back, Rey suddenly realized, "Oh my God, I need to buy presents. Quick, what does your mom like?"

Still blushing, Kylo straightened his shirt and stared at the floor. "I don't know. And don't get them presents."

"What? Why?"

"Because they're adults. They don't need presents."

"First of all, I'm their guest, it'd be rude not to, and second, presents are not about need, they're gestures. You know, things that say, 'I thought about you and what you'd like'."

She shrugged self-consciously as he shot her a quizzical look. "At least, that's what Finn and I do. I haven't really had that much practice with the whole Christmas thing."

He dropped his gaze, then brought her over a cup of her own. "Well… don't… don't worry about it."

"What are you giving them?" She asked, sipping the machiato slowly.

"Nothing."

"What?"

"See exhibit A, about them being adults."

"Oh come on, they're your parents! You have to get them something."

"No. I don't. I don't have the time, or the interest. Can we please focus?" He groused, unable to see the spark of an idea in Rey's eyes.

That Saturday morning, Rey knocked 'Shave and a Haircut' on repeat until Kylo opened the door irritably, then narrowed his eyes in confusion.

"Why are you here?"

"Gee, thanks. How about, 'Hello Rey, nice to see you'?"

"It's Saturday. We don't study Saturdays."

"I'm not here to study. I'm here as a friend."

He somehow managed to look more suspicious. "Why?"

Rey rolled her eyes. "Well there goes the great mystery why you weren't voted Most Popular." She pointed at her car, then quoted, "Get in loser, we're going shopping!"

"What?"

"C'mon! Mean Girls? Nothing?" She pushed past him to grab a coat out of his closet. "Here. Put this on. Let's go."

"No."

Rey forcefully helped him into his jacket, then shoved him out the door. "To the mall!"

And so, Kylo found himself at the local shopping center, wandering around the kiosks and grumbling why he couldn't just grab a basket of bath stuff or something while Rey munched happily on a soft pretzel he had bought her.

"You can't just grab anything at Bed, Bath & Beyond. It has to be personal. Like, what kind of books does she read? What's her favorite color?"

He glared at one of the salespeople loudly offering him moisturizer, then muttered, "White."

"White? Really? That's what you're giving me?" She shook her head, then pulled him towards the jewelry counter. "Okay, now, I'm sure you can put in some effort and find her a nice bracelet or earrings, or something."

Kylo shot her a sardonic look, then scanned the different pieces under the glass. "I don't know. And I don't care."

Rey folded her arms firmly, so he rolled his eyes and kept looking. "There," he said finally, pointing to a pair of moonstone earrings. "I'll take those."

Peering through the glass, Rey beamed at him. "Perfect! She'll love those. See? It's not so bad, shopping with me."

He made a noncommittal grunt, then looked away.

"Now to find something for your dad!"

"It's okay. I already have a 'Worst Father of the Year' mug picked out."

She shot him a rebuking look. "C'mon, Ren. Something nice."

"How about a 'Only Kind of the Worst Father' mug?"

An hour later, they left with Leia's earrings and a patterned tie with tessellated planes for Han, while Rey scooped out the last bits of her Dippin' Dots.

"I call that a successful trip!" She announced happily, practically skipping alongside him.

"Why are you so cheerful?" He groused, eyeing the other shoppers with distaste.

"Because! Gifts are about making other people happy, and you get to think about Christmas, and being with people you care about. Plus, I've never been invited anywhere for Christmas before."

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "Never?"

"Nope." She slurped the last drop of the melted ice cream, then continued, "I was mostly left out of Christmases until Finn and I made our own. But to have your parents actually care enough to invite me for their holiday? That's…" She paused, then beamed at him.

"I think this Christmas is going to be really special."

His gaze softening, he only endured a few more moments of her smile, then muttered, "One can hope."

Rey stopped suddenly, staring at him. "You just agreed with me."

He adjusted his jacket and kept walking. "No, I didn't."

"You think this Christmas is special."

"That's not what I said."

She caught back up to him, then playfully bumped his arm with her shoulder. "I'm glad."

As she tossed her ice cream cup into a passing trash can, she didn't see how he touched his arm, how his eyes followed her, or the low, half-whispered words spoken under his breath.

"Me too."


	12. It Is Known By Friends

_Noscitur a sociis: "It is known by friends" - An ambiguous word or term can be clarified by considering the whole context in which it is used, without having to define the term itself._

* * *

"Oh my God, we did it! I can't believe we're done!" Rey shrieked as the classroom doors closed behind them.

"Calm down. Holdo still has to analyze our arguments and post our grades." Kylo told her. "There's nothing to celebrate-"

"Peanut, you did it!" Finn pounced on Rey, sweeping her up into a hug and spinning her around. "You were amazing!"

She laughed until he set her down, then did a faux hair flip, "Wasn't I, though?"

"Sunshine, if you were a real lawyer, I'd hire you this instant." Poe ruffled her hair proudly.

"Hey, you weren't kidding, you and Kaydel kicked ass. I would have never thought to take that line of questioning with the detective who found the body, especially-"

"Rey!" Rose came bounding up with a wide smile. "Your cross-examination was amazing!"

"Thanks! You and Finn were great together. The closing statement was so concise and left such a great impression on the jury, you'll get the ruling in your favor for sure."

"Guys!" Kaydel, beautiful as always with her braids and sly smile, waved at them down the hall. "Drinks at Eisley's tonight?"

"Only if you're buying!" Poe shouted back with a smirk, and Rey shook her head at him. She noticed Kylo had fallen out of step with her, and looked back to see him standing still, watching their group as they walked away.

(This moment, Finn and Poe beside her, with Kylo looming at her, dark and forbidding, was at the same time parallel and perpendicular to that first day. But instead of anger coursing through her veins and disgust sneering across his face, she tilted her head in a silent question, and he shook his in detached acceptance, as if being left behind was all he ever expected.)

She turned around, jogging up to him as he looked almost startled by her movement. "We're going over to the cantina for drinks tonight. Want to come?"

He glanced up at her group of friends, sensing wariness from Poe, protectiveness from Finn, curiosity from Rose, then looked back at Rey, who was watching him as if she actually cared.

Shaking his head, he responded, "I don't think I'd be welcome."

"Of course you would. You're my friend." She declared, as if it was always this way, and he wondered when she had deemed him worthy of defending, worthy of her loyalty.

"I'm not a people person." He deflected, and watched her press her lips together.

"We're done with finals! We did an amazing job! Let's go celebrate!" She told him, eyes plaintive.

Part of him was dangerously close to telling her that his idea of celebration would be sitting with her on his couch and watching stupid tv shows, without anyone else around. Part of him knew that it was hard enough to endure his own embarrassment of weaknesses around her, and the last thing he needed was a bunch of strangers to witness it as well.

"You go. I need to sleep."

It was the truth. Sleep was becoming more and more elusive as her absence in his home became inescapable.

She opened her mouth to argue, then sighed at the look he gave her. "Okay. But I'll see you tomorrow?"

He told himself he was only imagining the hint of hope in her voice.

"Fine."

"And did you want to take separate cars? Or we could carpool?"

"We can take my car. Yours might fall apart at a strong wind." He told her, the bite of his sarcasm oddly gentled.

"Alright. See you tomorrow." She started to turn back, then whirled around to give him a quick hug. "Thanks for all your help. I couldn't have done it without you."

As she walked away, he desperately tried to ignore the strange and alarming _thud-thud_ in his chest, the way the her warmth lingered, how strongly he felt pulled towards her. He realized he had been staring too long when he looked up to see Finn and Poe watching him with a combination of concern and distrust.

Turning on his heel, he stalked off, irritated by the suspicions of her friends, the press and noise of the crowd, and his inability to fight the wave of happiness at the thought of seeing her tomorrow.

"So, Rey, how come your Ringwraith didn't want to join?" Kaydel asked with a teasing grin.

"He's not much of a people person. You know how introverts are." Rey shrugged, sipping her IPA.

"Ah, see, it's not that he's an introvert, it's that he's a Rey-trovert." Poe smiled widely as everyone turned to give him looks. "Get it? Introverts get energy by being alone, but he gets his energy from Rey!"

"Are you drunk?" Rey asked him with a tilt of her head.

"Not yet. But I know what Crylo's drunk on!" He waggled his eyebrows at her.

She rolled her eyes and took another drink of her beer. "I don't know what you're on about."

"You've got to admit Rey, you're the only one who talks to him voluntarily." Rose pointed out.

"Look, just because he seems all broody, doesn't mean-"

Finn interrupted, "Last time I saw him talk to a barista, the poor kid started crying!"

"He shouted, 'Move' when he was coming down the hall, and everyone just turned around and walked away." Kaydel added.

"Okay, so he doesn't like people."

"Ah ah ah, correction, he likes one person." Poe poked Rey's nose with a knowing grin. "You."

"Oh come on, that is not-"

Kaydel nodded. "Rey, I've seen how he looks at you. He likes you."

Poe nodded. "And when Kaydel says he likes you, she means _likes you_ likes you."

Rey threw up her hands. "What, are we in the third grade now?"

"Depends. Has he given you a note that says, 'Will you please be my girlfriend, check yes or no'?" Poe stuck out his lower lip and fluttered his eyelashes at her.

"Okay, you're officially the worst, and so the next round is on you." Rey announced, fishing out his wallet from his jacket.

"What? Oh come on, that was funny!" Poe called out, then shook his head. "Fine, but make sure you close out my tab!"

Once Rey returned with everyone's drinks, Kaydel laughed as Rose downed half her lager in one go.

"Take it easy there girl! I know you're walking home, but still."

Rose shook her head. "I'm drinking until I forget about how my whole family is going to ask me about what internship I got for next year. Because you know, your internship leads to your clerkship which leads to a real job, so no pressure!"

A chorus of groans came from around the table.

"Way to ruin the mood," Finn teased Rose, who playfully shoved him away.

"What time are you guys leaving tomorrow?" Poe asked as he took a swig of his sour beer.

Rose sighed. "Paige wants to leave first thing so we can avoid traffic, so pretty early. Like, butt-crack of dawn early. What about you?"

"Yeah, I got a six-hour drive, plus stops for BB to stretch his little stub legs, so yeah, pretty early for me too. Sunshine?"

Rey shrugged. "Probably later than all of you guys." Quickly changing the subject before Rose and Kaydel inquired about where she was going, she asked, "What about you, Kaydel? Going home for Christmas?"

The brunette laughed. "Absolutely. My mom would kill me if I didn't. Plus I get to see the derpiest dog in the world, so that's always a bonus. I fly out late tomorrow night, which I know is going to be nightmarish with security. I always debate doing the TSA Pre-check, but I don't really want the government to know anymore about me."

"They have all your information anyway." Finn told her with a sad shake of his head.

"Yeah, but if you do the pre-check, you give them permission to have that information."

"Okay, if you were going to sue the TSA…" Poe announced, delighted to start another debate.

"Good morning!" Rey shouted as she let herself in with the spare key.

A muffled "Wha?" came from behind the bedroom door.

"Up and at 'em, let's go!"

She was answered by an irritated, "Mmmph."

Rolling her eyes, she loudly announced, "Oh wow this very hot coffee is so good! I'm going to set it down right here on this side table with no coaster!"

The door swung open angrily. "Don't you dare!" He growled, and Rey looked up with a grin until she saw he was shirtless.

"Kidding!" She called out, then set out a coaster and tried very hard not to stare. _(Those damn abs. Every time.)_

"What are you even doing here?" He groused as he pulled a shirt over his head, making his bedhead even more hilarious.

"Everyone left already. So I said goodbye, cleaned the apartment, wrapped presents, and now I'm here! When do we leave?"

"Never." He said flatly as he made himself an espresso.

"Come on." She checked the time. "One hour?"

"Five."

"Two?"

"Three. And I go back to bed."

"Cool, you go sleep. I'm watching tv!" She gave him a thumbs up, then flopped onto the couch and flipped through the channels. "Hey, did you set Project Runway to record? It's got like three seasons on here."

"No." Kylo told her a little too quickly. "You must have pressed a button or something last time you watched it."

She tilted her head at him from the top of the couch, as if considering an impossible thought. "Huh. I guess."

Turning back to the television, she cried, "Oo! This is the one with Christian Siriano! It's a great season."

"You say about all of them," he grumbled as he cracked eggs into a bowl.

Rey popped her head back over the top of the couch immediately. "Are you making breakfast?"

"I'm making omelets." He answered as he started beating the eggs. "And there's only enough for me."

"Great! I'll take two!"

"You'll take one, and I'm putting arugula in it."

"What? Noooo." Rey whined.

"You'll eat it and you'll like it." He told her firmly, ignoring her overdramatic pout.

"Ugh. Fine."

"And no picking it out."

"You're the worst."

"Alright, now it's got avocado in it."

"Never mind! I take it back!"

"Too late."

Four episodes of Project Runway, several omelets, and two macchiatos later, they finally packed up the TIE Fighter with suitcases and presents.

"All ready! Let's hit the road!" Rey declared gleefully while Kylo glowered at her.

"You are far too cheerful about this whole thing."

"Cheer up, Ebenezer. Besides, I love road trips. I even brought tunes!"

He frowned at the cd case she handed him. "Is this a musical?" He turned it over. "A rap musical?"

"Hamilton is an award winning work of genius, and Lin Manuel Miranda is a gift to this world. You will listen to it and you will like it."

Kylo harrumphed, but put the first disc in anyway.

The next two and a half hours were spent with Rey giving him a shortened version of the plot, while Kylo snarked about a Brit loving a story about the Revolutionary War.

"Okay, first, I was born in the US. I think. Second, the history of this time is fascinating. Third, King George literally went mad. Parliament was desperate to get rid of him. Fourth, no snide comments about Hamilton!"

Ten minutes after " _Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story"_ ended, they pulled up to the Solo residence, Rey quickly morphing from vicarious tears to instant exuberance.

"We're here! It's really happening!"

He shot her a sidelong glance. "You've been here before."

"Well, yeah, but the fact that we're here means Christmas is almost here! There'll be presents, and cheer, and - oh! Are there cookies? I've always heard of cookies at Christmas."

"I dunno. I haven't been here in years." He told her, gripping the steering wheel tightly as he stared at the house.

Rey followed his apprehensive gaze, then touched his arm. "It'll be okay."

He watched the house a moment longer, then glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "Yeah?"

She smiled gently at him. "Yeah."

Sighing loudly, he told her, "I'll remind you of this moment when it all goes to hell."

She was saved from finding an appropriately sarcastic reply when Leia opened the door.

"Rey!"

Grinning widely, she came around the car to give Leia a hug. "Leia, it's so good to see you!"

"Hello sweetheart," Leia turned to Kylo and kissed his cheek. "We're so glad you could make it."

"Didn't give me much of a choice," he mumbled, which Leia pointedly ignored.

"Now, Rey, if you'll follow me, I'll show you where your room is. Don't worry about the bags, the boys will get them."

They met Han at the door, who gave her a gruff nod, then asked, "Figure out the issue with the Chariot?"

"Yeah, turns out it was just a bent heat shield, which is a relief, since I do not have the money to replace the brakes on that thing."

"Find a mechanic to fix it?"

"Did it myself," Rey told him proudly. "Just needed to unhook the crossover pipe and-"

"Alright, you two, shop talk can wait til later," Leia interrupted with a smile. "Han, can you help Ben with the bags?"

"I don't need any help!" Kylo shouted as he tried to balance a tower of presents in one arm while pulling two suitcases in the other.

Han walked towards the car with dark mutterings while Leia shook her head and led Rey upstairs.

"This is your room." Leia opened the door to a medium sized bedroom, with grey walls and bright yellow accents. "Bathroom's just down the hall, extra towels are in the closet right across from it. Han and I are in the other wing, but Ben is right down the way, so I'm sure he can tell you where things are if you need anything else."

Rey wandered in gingerly, admiring how the room was tasteful without being intimidating, but was still almost afraid to touch anything.

"Oh, I think someone forgot their presents up here," she gestured to the boxes on the bed.

"Oh, no dear, those are for you."

Turning to stare, Rey could only repeat, "For me?"

"Yes. It's not much, but I saw them and thought of you. Go ahead, open them." Leia encouraged with a warm smile.

Hesitantly, Rey crossed the room and undid the wrapping paper, revealing a set of blue pyjamas with white piping, and a pair of warm grey slippers.

"I'm sure you brought your own, but I wanted to make sure you felt-" Leia stopped and stepped towards Rey. "Are you alright, dear?"

Sniffling, Rey gave her a watery smile, "I'm fine, I am, it's just… no one's ever…" She swiped at her face, then managed, "They're perfect. Thank you."

Leia took her by the shoulders, looking thoughtfully into Rey's eyes as if she could somehow see the pain Rey worked so hard to hide, see all the secrets and fears and doubts she tried to keep locked away.

"I want you to know you are welcome here, Rey. On your own merits, because you are a wonderful young woman that we are happy to know." Leia told her kindly, and Rey hugged her again before more tears spilled over.

"Where do you want these things?" Han bellowed up the stairs, and Leia rolled her eyes fondly.

"Under the tree, Han. Where else would they go?" She leaned out the door and shouted back.

Han grumbled loudly about women wanting things in different places every other hour and how was he supposed to know where things were supposed to go when their crazy plans kept changing.

Shaking her head at her husband, Leia placed a gentle hand on Rey's cheek, then said, "We are so glad to have you here."

Rey nodded with a weak grin. "I'm glad to be here too."

And as Leia gave her another hug, Rey thought that whatever Kylo thought about it, she was already convinced this was going to be an amazing Christmas.


	13. Hear the Other Side

_Audi alteram partem: "hear the other side" - Refers to the idea that one cannot be fairly judged unless the cases for and against them have been heard._

* * *

"Now I'm not sure if Ben has told you our schedule at all," Leia started as they joined the men downstairs, "but we thought we'd give you the rest of today to get settled, and then if you were up for it, maybe we could have brunch and go shopping tomorrow."

"Shopping?" Rey asked, peeking at the gifts under the heavily decorated tree. "For more gifts?"

Leia stopped, then both she and Han looked at Kylo.

"You didn't tell her?"

Kylo frowned at the attention. "Tell her what?"

"I bet he didn't bring a monkey suit either," Han commented with a smirk.

"Why would I bring a-" He froze, then his face twisted angrily as he muttered, "Son of a… I am not going."

"I was about to say," Leia continued in a rebuking tone, "that you and Rey are of course under no obligation to go, but I thought that decision was best made by the _both_ of you."

She eyed Rey significantly, who was still glancing between everyone as Kylo let out a resentful sigh.

"No obligation to go where?" Rey asked cautiously, surreptitiously checking for any dishware that Kylo might try to throw at the wall.

"To this pompous, pretentious, ridiculous dinner full of stuffed shirts and-"

"It's a charity gala that my campaign sponsors every year on Christmas night," Leia corrected pointedly. "And it is not pretentious."

Kylo rolled his eyes at the exact moment Han shrugged and held up his fingers in the universal gesture of 'just a little bit'. Both men blinked in surprise, then looked oddly uncomfortable at their accidental agreement as Rey tried very hard not to laugh.

"But as I said, you two are more than welcome to stay here, if you like."

"A gala, like… a ball?" Rey asked with hesitant hope.

Leia smiled. "Well, there's a distinct lack of horse-drawn carriages and princes, but yes, something like a ball."

"Though there may be some lost footwear, depending on how much Neena has to drink," Han commented with a sly wink.

After shooting her husband a look, Leia turned back to them, "As I said, you two can decide what you'd like to do. Rey and I can go shopping tomorrow no matter what you choose. Now, dinner is at six, so feel free to relax until then."

Kylo muttered something about unpacking, then hauled his suitcase upstairs, Rey trailing behind with a grateful wave towards Han and Leia. As he marched to his room, scowling at the house in general, Rey followed him, then leaned against the doorframe as he dropped his suitcase on the bed.

In consideration of his mood, Rey waited a few moments, then tried her very best not to sound like a little girl when she asked, "So… what's this ball like?"

"Boring." He growled as he sorted through his shirts. "Stupid and pointless and a thousand times longer than it needs to be."

"Oh."

"And everyone there is a snobby, conceited dick who only cares about who you're related to and how many houses or horses or yachts you own. But you still have to listen to them because they gave obscene amounts of money so everyone gets to hear their awful speeches that go on forever and are completely hypocritical."

When he got no response to his rant, Kylo looked up to see Rey scuffing her toes on the floor, attempting not to look disappointed.

As he silently cursed whatever power she had over him, he reluctantly conceded, "But the food isn't bad."

Rey's head snapped up. "Yeah?"

He scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah. And there's an open bar, so there's that."

"That's always good." She agreed cautiously.

Ignoring how gleeful his internal voice was, he found himself offering, "So, I guess we could… if it's only a few hours… maybe it wouldn't be as awful."

Rey tried to make sense of that, then asked, "So… we can go?"

Kylo sighed. "Yes. We can go."

Squeeing loudly, Rey ran in and hugged him. "You're the best! You hear that Wicket?" She picked up the bear and kissed him on the top of his head. "I'm going to a ball!"

"It's a dinner, not a- Nevermind." Kylo gave up as Rey ran excited out of his room, glad she didn't see the warm blush coming over his face.

Rey gasped loudly as she and Leia entered the dress shop. "They're all so beautiful!"

An accented voice came from behind a the desk, and Rey saw an elegant older woman come around to greet them, "And we are to help you find the one who matches the beauty in you."

"Mia," Leia smiled in welcome as they women exchanged kisses on the cheek. "Mia, this is Rey, one of Ben's friends, and she needs something to wear to the gala tomorrow."

"Hmm." Mia narrowed her eyes and slowly circled Rey, who was suddenly aware of every flyaway hair and her complete lack of make-up.

"We will start with the chartreuse." She declared firmly, and Rey peeked at Leia, who gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

Four gowns later ("The chartreuse will _not do_ ," Mia had announced the second Rey put it on), Rey was enjoying spinning in a dark navy corseted dress with stars on it.

"I know it's silly, but twirling in spinny dresses is so much fun," Rey confided in Leia as Mia marched off to find another candidate ("It is both too much and not _enough!")._

Leia tilted her head. "Why do you think it's silly?"

Rey swished a little bit, then shrugged. "I don't know. Doesn't it… set back feminism, or something?"

(Mia returned and herded Rey back into the room, "I have found _the one!_ It is... as it should be. Now go!")

Laughing kindly, Leia shook her head. "Let me tell you something my mother told me. Fashion is a tool. And like tools, different ones accomplish separate purposes. Now, the purposes can range from comfort, or practicality, to exuding power, or authority."

She paused as Rey emerged timidly, trying not to step on the hem, then finished with a soft, glowing smile, "Or to draw every eye in the room."

"Wow." Rey breathed as she stared in the mirror, watching the chiffon dress shift from emerald green to a shimmering blue as she turned.

"Wow indeed. It was commissioned to me from one of those starlets, but she _betrayed_ me for a _hideous_ disaster from her paramour instead, so it has been exiled to sit in shame. But _now_ , now you have redeemed it!" Mia stated dramatically.

Rey blinked in confusion, then ventured, "Thank you?"

"It's perfect, Mia." Leia agreed, standing next to Rey. "What would you recommend for shoes?"

Mia frowned in concentration, analyzing the amount of fabric touching the floor. "Four inches. Perhaps four point five, but no more."

"Four inch _heels?"_ Rey squeaked.

"You go to Carter's. They are very good about the heels with enough comfort."

"Enough comfort for what?"

Mia glanced at her as if it were obvious. "For the night." Fluttering her hand, she told Leia, "Now, go, go. I will do what needs done and it will be delivered tomorrow first thing."

"You're the best, Mia." Leia smiled as they exchanged farewell kisses, Rey unexpectedly getting pulled in for some as well.

"I know, darling. I know."

Rey was still trying to wrap her head around what the entire afternoon must have cost when they returned to the house that afternoon.

(Leia had firmly halted any protests from Rey. "I invited you to a party with no notice dear. It's the least I could do. Besides," she added when Rey opened her mouth again, "I have one son who has no tolerance for fashion, so it's a rarity I get to spend an entire morning picking out beautiful dresses for a delightful young woman. Indulge me.")

"We're back!" Leia called out in the foyer as they put away their coats.

"Took you long enough." Han commented as he came in. "I thought Mia had finally convinced you to hold the government hostage until they all wore her label."

"I'm still considering her proposal," Leia rejoined with a smirk as he dropped a kiss on her forehead, Kylo rolling his eyes as he entered the room.

"Well, now that you're done with the girly stuff, I've got to go check on the shop. Chewie's a big ole softy and gave the crew the next couple days off, which means more work for me. Whaddya say kid, up for a road trip?"

"Oh, well I should probably help with-"

"Luke brought in his T-65 X."

"What?" Rey's eyes widened. "A 65? How does he keep it running?"

"He doesn't." Han pointed a thumb at his chest. "I do. The thing can barely turn on without something breaking, and then you need four different parts for the three different systems, none of which are sold anymore."

"Oh I can imagine. How do you run diagnostics without interfering with the-"

"Ahem." Kylo coughed pointedly. "Rey and I should probably go over our final argument."

Han narrowed his eyes. "Your finals are finished. What do you need to study for?"

Stiffening, Kylo answered, "A review of any case one has litigated is standard practice-"

"C'mon, you get her the rest of the year. I'm sure you can share her for a few days." Han raised a challenging eyebrow, then added, "or you come come with us. You used to love the shop."

The phrase ' _used to'_ hung heavy in the air, Kylo clenching his fist as Rey felt the tension in the room rise.

"Now, someone needs to stay and help me with dinner," Leai, ever the diplomat, stepped between them and laid her hand on her husband's arm.

"So, what'll it be, Ben?" Han asked despite Leia's warning grip.

There was a long moment, then he muttered, "I'll stay," and walked outside.

"I'll be right back," Rey told them after a beat as she followed him out, Leia's glare promising Han a long and pointed conversation.

She trailed after Kylo as he marched to his car, her eyes full of concern. He paced around the car a few times, then finally sat on the hood and spat out, "I hate that old man."

Rey gingerly sat next to him as he shook his head angrily. "Can't believe he brought up the shop. Just can't let the past die, can he?"

Without looking at her, he explained, "He spent every day either with his planes, his car or that damn shop. Tried to drag me down there as much as he could. Always ignored me when I told him I had homework or a life, or that I didn't care about any of it. Not that he ever listened. About anything."

Biting her lip a few times, Rey eventually offered, "Maybe it's his way of connecting with you."

Kylo rolled eyes and snorted. "That's one way to see it."

"It's the kindest way."

He glanced at her, then answered softly, "It's your way."

"I just think that if that shop is really important to him, maybe trying to share it with you is his way of saying you're important too."

He fiddled with his jacket. "That's what you'd do, huh?"

She peeked up at him and shrugged, "If something was special to me, I'd want to share it with the people I cared about."

Staring at her for a long moment, he glanced up at the sky, then rubbed his face. "Go."

"What? No, no, I'll stay and help with d-"

"Go." He told her firmly. "Let him prattle on about machines for hours. Better you than me."

Rey stood, then furrowed her brows a little. "You going to be okay?"

He met her gaze, a trace of something soft and gentle flitting through his eyes before Rey could understand it. "Yeah. It'll give me some air."

She paused, as if deciding whether or not she believed him, then touched his arm with a small smile and walked back into the house.

Kylo waited until the Millenium Falcon flew out of the driveway before coming inside.

"There you are, dear. Can you chop some garlic for the green beans?" Leia called out, for all the world like all of this (his father driving off with Rey, him returning from a shouting match, him being here at all) was a normal occurrence.

Dutifully, he started peeling garlic as he heard tires screech on the road.

Leia laughed softly. "Well, your father has certainly taken to her."

He started chopping cloves, then replied, "Pity. She was starting to become tolerable."

Shaking her head fondly, Leia tilted her head to watch her son, then added, "I'm glad you look out for her."

Kylo nearly took off part of his finger at that non-sequitur. "I… I don't know what you-"

"I'm sure she's glad too." She continued, calmly slicing potatoes with a mandolin.

Shifting his weight awkwardly, he finished prepping the garlic, and starting trimming the green beans. "She doesn't need anyone to look out for her," he said, half under his breath.

Leia studied him before replying, "Everyone needs someone, sweetheart." She took the potato gratin over to the oven, then patted his shoulder. "Even you."

His eyes followed her as she opened the oven door, then flicked over to the window, where the treadmarks on the road were still visible.

He then thought that perhaps, she was not wrong.


	14. Peace

_Pace: "with peace" - Used to say 'contrary to the opinion of.' It is a polite way of marking a speaker's disagreement with someone or some body of thought._

* * *

Rey and Han returned a few hours later, Rey rushing inside to tell Kylo about the _absolute beauty of this engine_ and how Luke had somehow gotten Artoo to design him a custom dashboard because it was like _nothing she had ever seen_ and it was crazy because _it shouldn't work, and yet it did,_ all while Kylo tried to resist wiping off the grease mark on her cheek.

Leia shooed both of them upstairs to get ready for dinner while she and Kylo added the finishing touches to the dishes.

Rey emerged after half an hour, wet hair up in her trademark three buns, small wisps of hair curling around her neck, (which Kylo found powerfully distracting) and insisted on helping set the table.

Once everyone was seated, Leia raised her glass. "A toast, to family and friends, and this season of love and good cheer. May we celebrate with forgiveness, peace, and kindness."

"Hear hear!" Rey responded, then clinked glasses with everyone and tucked in.

"So, Kylo, what classes are you taking next semester?" Leia asked as she passed Rey the ham.

He shrugged. "The same classes all the first years take. You don't start electives until next year."

"So we're all taking Torts II, Contracts II, you get the idea." Rey added between bites of potato gratin.

Han refilled his glass. "Know what you're specializing in?"

"I'm planning on going into Family Law, since there's a lot of ways the system is broken. Their resources are stretched pretty thin, and there's not a good way to get kids therapy or individual help if they need it. Plus, I really want to help other foster kids."

"That's incredibly admirable, Rey." Leia smiled. "And what about you, Kylo?"

"Yeah, Ben, what's your plan?" Han asked, ignoring the dark look Leia shot him.

Kylo stabbed at the green beans. "Corporate Law."

"Helping big business stay big? Ow." Han hissed as Leia kicked him in the shin under the table.

His grip tightening around his fork, Kylo responded, "It's one of the most prestigious careers available, plus it's essential for any kind of business that wants to do well." He narrowed his eyes in challenge, " _Some_ business owners might take note of that."

Han stiffened in anger. "This country was built on the backbone of small businesses, which _corporations_ are trying to destroy."

"You don't need to destroy something that was built poorly in the first-" Kylo stopped suddenly, then glanced down at Rey, who had placed her hand over his and was watching him with distress clear in her eyes.

He met her gaze for a moment, then let out a long breath. "Corporate lawyers help small business owners, too." He said in a much calmer voice, eyes firmly on his plate as he shifted his grip so he could hold Rey's hand in his own. "They give advice about mergers, expanding or adding new products, stuff like that."

Han, who was clearly taken by surprise in the change of tone, could only nod slightly in response. "Oh. That's… that could be useful. I guess."

Rey squeezed Kylo's hand gently as she glanced over at Han, who was almost looking a little sheepish under her and Leia's scrutiny.

"So, Leia, I was wondering, how did you and Han meet?" Rey asked, and Leia gave her a grateful smile for changing the subject.

"Oh, we met in college. Han and Luke got paired up as roommates, so that's how we-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Han interrupted with a glint in his eye. "Aren't you going to tell them the real story?"

"That is the real story," Leia responded with iron in her voice.

"Oh no, you're not getting out of this." Han told her with a smirk, then leaned back in his chair, warming to his story. "So her Highnessness over here got herself trapped in the Poli Sci building after hours-"

"I did not get myself trapped, they locked the doors on me." Leia clarified primly.

"Anyway, she's banging on the glass, and Artoo and Threepio just happen to wander by. Threepio starting freaking out, but Artoo can read lips and figures out that she wants them to go find someone named Luke Skywalker. They finally find us in the dorm with Chewie, so we all go running to her rescue-"

Leia shook her head in memory. "But none of them thought ahead to try and find someone with a key to the building. Some rescue."

"Hey, I picked the lock for you!"

"No you didn't, Ben Kenobi saw all five of you acting suspicious and offered the use of his key. Ben was one of Luke's Religious Studies professors," she explained to Rey.

"Hey, it was one hell of a meet-cute," Han protested with a grin.

"You asked how much I would pay you for my freedom before you tried to pick the lock!"

Han shrugged, "Just going over my options."

"Speaking of options," Leia said mischievously, "you should tell them about how Lando kept trying to steal me away." She winked at Rey, then added, "and how close he got."

"Whoa, hey, you never told me that!"

"Just going over my options. Besides, remember that time he crashed our first official date?"

After several other stories of their college adventures, and once everyone had cleared their plates, Leia announced, "Christmas Eve tradition! Dessert with _It's A Wonderful Life."_

Kylo sighed in protest. "Do I have to? It's so slow."

"It's tradition, dear," Leia told him firmly.

"What's it about?" Rey asked, then watched Leia turn to Kylo with a grin.

"There you go. You don't want Rey to miss out on tradition, now would you?"

Kylo glared at his mother's back as she went to put the movie in, then told Rey, "It's a black and white feel-good Christmas movie from forever ago."

"I like feel-good movies," she told him softly.

He sighed. "Of course you do."

A few minutes into the movie, Kylo rolled his eyes. "Are we ever going to get to the-"

"Shhh!" Everyone else shushed him, and Rey whacked his arm without looking as she stared enraptured at the screen.

" _What is it you want, Mary? What do you want? You want the moon? Just say the word and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down."_

As the screen flickered, Kylo kept peeking at Rey's hand, holding her bowl of melting ice cream, then shaking his head at himself for thinking of such a stupid idea.

Rey started sniffling as Clarence told George, " _Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?",_ and inadvertently avoided Kylo's slow reach as she lifted her hand to wipe her eyes, causing him to snatch his hand away in embarrassment.

Once the movie ended, Rey stood to collect the plates and told Leia, "That was beautiful! I can't believe I've never seen it before!"

"Well, I'm glad you liked it. It's a family favorite. C'mon dear," she motioned to Han, who was half-asleep in his recliner, "let's leave the television to the young people."

"What?" Han looked at her as she pointedly glanced at Kylo and Rey, then jerked her head upstairs.

"Fine." He muttered, standing and stretching with loud groans.

"Getting old?" Leia asked with a smirk.

"It's not the years, sweetheart, it's the mileage. Besides, I'm not dead yet." He winked and started to chase her up the stairs.

Kylo closed his eyes and muttered, "Ew," as Leia called out, "Goodnight kids! Happy Christmas Eve!"

"Goodnight!" Rey waved back, then shot Kylo a look as he ignored them and reclaimed the remote.

"Geez, is there even anything good on now? There's just dozens of these idiotic Hallmark movies."

"Oh, come on, some of them aren't that bad." She told him as she came around the back of the couch and started braiding his hair. "Besides, half the fun is mocking the predictable storylines and terrible acting."

"If they have predictable plots and terrible acting, why do people watch them? And who is paying to make these things?" He groused, sitting up so Rey didn't have to lean over so far.

"I don't know, maybe it's _tradition."_ She teased as Kylo tilted his head up to give her a sardonic look. "Plus, I'm sure these things are made on a shoestring budget. I watched one of them that was made completely of stock film and…"

Her fingers stilled, and Kylo twisted around to see why she had stopped.

She was staring out the window, mouth hanging open and eyes wide. "Is that…"

Wandering over to press her face to the glass, she whirled around with a beaming smile. "It is! It's _snowing!"_

Shoving her feet in her slippers, she ran outside, leaving the door wide open as she stared at the sky in wonder. "It's really snowing!"

"Yes, and it's really freezing! Now come back inside before you get frostbite." Kylo told her as he walked to the doorway.

"It's so beautiful!" She shouted as she spun in circles.

"Haven't you ever seen snow before?"

"Only in movies! I grew up in a desert. But this is just amazing!" She gasped, then stuck her tongue out.

"What are you doing?" He asked in a tone of exasperation.

"What's it look like I'm doing? I'm trying to catch a snowflake!" She jumped around a bit, then squeaked happily. "I did it! I caught one!"

"Good job. Now will you come inside?"

"Wait! I need to make a snow angel!" Rey shrieked, then looked around for a clear spot. "Here! This is perfect!" She flopped onto the ground and spread her arms. "Am I doing it right?"

Sighing heavily, Kylo grabbed his coat and went out into the cold. "How would I know?"

"You grew up here! Don't you know how to make a snow angel?"

He walked over and stared down at her giddy smile as he folded his arms. "Since I am not a child, no, I don't."

She cocked her head to the side, then asked, "So you did know as a child, and you're not telling me out of embarrassment?"

He glowered at her. "You're going to freeze to death. Can we go?"

"Okay, help me up. But carefully, so we don't smudge it."

He rolled his eyes, but grabbed her hand and lifted her up and out of the slight imprint she had made in the dusting of snow.

She jumped up and down in excitement, then pointed, "Look! I did it! I made a snow angel!"

"Yes you did. Congratulations." He tried to tug her back towards the house, but she stood still, craning her neck to watch the small white flakes fall.

Realizing his efforts were futile, he gave up and glanced at the sky as well, harkening back to that night out on her fire escape.

After a minute, she turned to him with a wide, childlike grin, "Isn't it the most magical thing you've ever seen?"

In that moment, her eyes alight with wonder, drops of water circling her face, snow glittering in her hair, he could not answer with anything but bending down and pulling her into a soft kiss.

He kissed her slowly, gently, fully, then released her and leaned back, only to see that her grin had been replaced with a look of blank surprise.

Instantly, his gut clenched. It was too soon, or too much, or God, had he done it _wrong?_ Why on earth did he think that someone like him even deserved-

His frantic thoughts slowed as she blinked, then reached up to place her palm on his cheek, the world silent except for his sharp intake of breath at her touch.

Tilting her head curiously, she threaded her hands through his hair and stood on her tiptoes so she could reach his mouth with her own.

She kissed him as if she needed another taste before deciding what she thought, as if she wasn't sure how to kiss either, then he felt her break into a smile as she tugged him closer.

When then broke apart, both a little out of breath, he was shocked into stillness at the way she smiled at him - the same way she had looked at the snowfall.

Her fingers catching on the braid in his hair, Rey laughed in pure, unadulterated joy, then watched him bring his forehead down to touch hers and sigh in a mixture of relief and contentment. Grinning with a hint of mischief, Rey bumped his nose with hers, earning her a amused -eyebrow raise.

Kissing his nose impishly, she turned around and nestled herself under his chin, looking back up at the sky. As they stood, his hands holding hers across her body, he could not think of any moment in his life when he felt so at peace.


	15. From Now On

_Ex nunc: "from now on" - Term used in contract law to specify terms that are voided or confirmed in effect only in the future and not prior to the contract, or its adjudication._

* * *

Rey's eyes opened the next morning with a single thought clear in her mind.

 _It's Christmas!_

 _Ren kissed me._

(Okay, so maybe two clear thoughts)

 _It's Christmas and Ren kissed me!_

She squealed softly into her pillow, then sat up as she heard the bathroom door open. Poking her head out, she saw Kylo walk out, still towelling his hair.

"Happy Christmas!" She called, and he jumped a good foot in the air.

"Oh. Um. Yes. Happy… Merry Christmas." He answered, then looked both ways down the hall before coming up to her and fidgeting.

"Look, I… about last night, I wanted to… just before anything…"

Her eyes widened. _Oh God, he regrets it. He thinks it's a mistake. How awful am I at kissing?!_

But then, he stuttered a bit more, "I mean, just because I want to… I mean, you should want... what you want… but if you don't… it's… you can just tell me, and I won't-"

It took her a few seconds, but finally her brain translated the bits of gibberish into what he was actually saying.

She reached up and kissed him soundly, forestalling any more ramblings.

"I do want," she told him softly.

He blinked at her rapidly, as if he needed a moment to reboot, then simply said, "Oh. You… you do?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Oh. I… Good. That's… that's good to-"

Rey tried her best to bite back her smile, she really did, but Kylo frowned when he saw the corners of her mouth quirking up.

"You're laughing at me."

"What? No, I'm laughing with you!"

He raised an eyebrow. "I'm not laughing."

"Are you sure?" She teased, then pressed another kiss to his cheek. "Because I feel like you're laughing."

He was saved from coming up with a response by Leia calling from downstairs, "Breakfast is ready!"

"Be right there!" Rey shouted back, then started to head down to the bathroom, but was stopped by Kylo's grip on her hand.

She looked up at him questioningly, then he pulled her back into his arms for another kiss, this one full of gently rising heat.

"I'm glad," he murmured after he let her go, then headed downstairs, and it genuinely took Rey a few moments to remember what she was doing.

(She could get used to being kissed like that.)

After brushing her teeth and attempting to manage her hair, Rey skipped down the stairs to the kitchen.

"Happy Christmas!" She told Leia, who gave her a wide smile and warm hug in return.

"Merry Christmas, dear. Now, eat some breakfast, and then we'll do gifts."

Rey wolfed down her eggs and bacon quickly, even by her standards, and was soon perched excitedly on the edge of the couch by the tree, waiting for the rest of the Solo family to join her.

Kylo flopped on the seat next to her, then surreptitiously took her hand, running his fingers along her palm like he was trying to memorize it. He stopped the instant Leia came over, much to Rey's regret, but gave her hand a small, comforting squeeze before he let go.

"Alright, let's start this thing," Han harrumphed as he settled into his recliner.

"Here, this one is from Ren," Rey handed the small box to Leia, then hoisted a larger package that clanked over to Han, "and this one is from me."

Han furrowed his brows. "I don't need presents. Plus I'm very hard to shop for."

Rey smiled. "You'll like this one. Promise."

He frowned at the box dubiously, then looked almost impressed as he pulled out a vintage fuel pump. "Hey, this ain't bad. Where'd you get it?"

"I found it at the Jakku Junkyard, hidden in a giant pile of scrap metal. It should fit the Falcon, if I estimated the diameter correctly," Rey explained with a grin, and got a gratified nod in response.

"Oh, sweetheart, these are beautiful," Leia told Kylo as she opened the moonstone earrings. "And they'll go perfectly with that white and silver dress I have."

Flushing, Kylo shrugged, "I knew you liked white stones, so…"

"It's very thoughtful of you," she nodded in thanks, then brought over a large, flat rectangular gift. "Now, this is for you, Rey."

Rey glanced up in surprise. "Me? Oh you didn't have to-"

"Nonsense, dear. We wanted to. Plus, it'll go perfectly with your dress tonight," Leia winked as Rey lifted the top to reveal a gorgeous long black coat, trimmed with faux fur, which also (she was delighted to find) had pockets.

"This is amazing," Rey gasped. "Thank you so much."

"I'm glad you like it," Leia said, then presented both Rey and Kylo with custom leather attaché cases, that she assured them they would need in their future as successful lawyers.

"Here, give her this one next," Han pushed a heavy box towards Rey, who was delighted to find a flawless set of brand new tools inside. "So you've got something reliable for your Speeder," he told her.

Rey thanked him profusely as Leia was enraptured over her gift of a wire-wrapped bracelet with a single blue stone in the center.

"I thought the blue would accent the dress you wore at Thanksgiving," Rey told her shyly, "and one of my friends, Rose, makes the most beautiful wire-wrapped jewelry."

"It matches perfectly and I love it." Leia smiled as Han and Kylo nodded towards each other in acknowledgement of Han's tessellated plane tie and the stainless steel business card holder Kylo received.

"Now, this one says it's for…" Han squinted at the black scrawl, "Dozzie? Who the heck is Dozzie?"

Rey perked up curiously. "That's my doll's name… I made a pilot doll when I was a kid, and I named her Captain Dosmit, Dozzie for short. Why is there a present for her?" Han handed it to her with a shrug, and she ripped off the paper to reveal a large, hardback book.

" _High-Flying Women: A World History of Female Pilots,"_ Rey read aloud, then bit her lip as she opened the cover to see a brief note on the first page.

 _For Capt Dosmit Reah,_

 _They underestimated you. Keep proving them wrong._

She turned to Kylo in amazement. "You remembered," she said softly in disbelief.

He shifted uncomfortably as he was suddenly under the gaze of everyone in the room. "Didn't have a name on it," he muttered. "Could've been from someone else."

"Who?" Rey asked, a small grin slowly replacing her teary look. "Wicket?"

"Sure."

She shook her head in laughter, then grabbed the last present from underneath the tree. "This is for you. Or Wicket, depending," she teased as Kylo shot her a look.

He tore open the cheap wrapping paper to see a framed poster of an illustration of the night sky.

"It's a star chart," she told him, rocking back and forth a little. "It's got all the main constellations, plus some of the lesser known ones, and it traces the Milky Way, too."

He studied it for a few moments, taking in the different stars and lines connecting the constellations.

"This is really detailed," he said finally, and Rey gave him a shy smile.

"I know you like having as much information as possible, so this way, the next time we go stargazing, you'll be familiar with the different shapes and patterns."

Glancing over at her, he repeated softly, "We?"

She nodded, then affirmed, "We."

Rey looked over in time to see Han look confused, and Leia watching them with a gentle laughter in her eyes.

"Well, Merry Christmas, everyone," she announced, then turned to Rey, "Mia and her stylist will be here in a few hours, so feel free to relax until then."

"You keep that woman away from me," Han grumbled. "Last time she was here, she nearly poked my eye out with one of those sticks."

"She was offering you a bit of concealer, dear," Leia said as she went to refill her coffee. "There's no shame in accepting a bit of help now and then."

"Hey, I look just as good as the day you met me, sweetheart." Han told her as he followed her into the kitchen. "If it ain't broke…"

"Don't offer to pluck its ear hair?"

"Whoa, hey, Your Worshipfulness, no need to get personal."

Rey grinned, then announced she was going upstairs to take a shower. As she rounded the corner to the stairs, Kylo suddenly appeared and pulled her aside.

"Here." He thrust a small rectangle at her as she blinked in bewilderment.

"But you already got me a present," she said, noticing that unlike his parents' gifts, which were professionally wrapped by the store, this one was covered with slightly crooked paper, and was held together by multiple pieces of scotch tape, as if unsure it would stay in place.

"No, Dozzie got a gift. This one is for you." He told her, shifting his weight.

She smiled and shook her head as she unwrapped it. "Well, you didn't have to. The book is-"

Stopping mid-sentence, she stared at the sunburst pendant resting against the dark velvet. Suspended between rays by a delicate chain, the pendant featured a white stone with small golden veins running across the surface in the center of the sunburst itself.

Clearly uneasy as her silence, Kylo started rambling, "I… it… you know, the lady said it was good quality, and they can repair it if it breaks or something, and I heard that… you know, girls like jewelry, but if you don't… you don't. It's stupid, I'll return-"

"I love it," Rey whispered in awe, tracing the chain gently.

Kylo froze. "You do?"

"It's beautiful."

"Oh. Well, good. It… it felt like you."

She raised a teasing eyebrow. "What, I feel like the sun?"

After a quiet moment, he replied with a simple, honest, "Yes."

She met his gaze, his eyes full of a soft vulnerability, then stood up on her tiptoes and surprised him with a kiss.

As he was starting to return it with earnest, Rey had a thought and leaned back, cocking her head to the side. "Wait. When you say that the lady said… did you go back to the mall?"

He frowned. "Maybe."

She bit her lip and tried not to smile. "There are people at the mall."

"Of course there are people at the mall. Too many, if you ask me."

Grinning, she pointed out, "You went out and faced people for me?"

His ears started to turn pink, and he combatted her response with, "Yes. And I'm never doing it again. It was awful. So… lower your expectations in the future."

She laughed, kissed him again, then leaned against his shoulder. "I like the sound of that."

A scoff rumbled through his chest. "What, lowering your expectations?"

Placing her hand on his heart, she murmured, "The future."

She could feel him stiffen, then slowly relax as he pressed his lips against the top of her head.

"Me too."

"What the hell is taking them so long?" Kylo muttered, tugging at the collar of his tux.

"Easy, kid. You know how your mother loves to make an entrance." Han told him, leaning nonchalantly against the wall, heedless of wrinkling his uniform.

"They are…" Mia appeared at the top of the stairs, then walked towards them with a triumphant raise of her arm, " _complete!"_

"Finally," he groused, looking up the stairs and promptly feeling every drop of air leave his lungs.

Rey was descending the stairs in a vision of tulle, the colors shifting between a deep jade and an iridescent blue. It was cinched in at the waist by a simple silver ribbon, and the sleeveless design, with a modest V-neck, showed off her neck and shoulders to their best advantage. Her hair was parted to the side in old Hollywood glamour waves, a small pair of pearl earrings peeking out between curls, and a gold necklace resting against her collarbone.

She glanced up from carefully watching the stairs to smile softly at Kylo, but ruined her glamorous entrance by tripping on the third-to-last step and hurtling towards the floor until he rushed forward to catch her.

"Sorry," she winced, trying to regain her balance. "These heels are insanely tall."

Since he had no way to tell her that he actually enjoyed the feel of her in his arms, the way she clung to his shoulder and hand, like she trusted him to hold her weight, to keep her from falling, he nodded gruffly instead and helped her to her feet.

His mother, who was wearing a regal, floor-length black dress which exuded dignity and respect, laughed kindly. "Believe me, I've been bested by more than one pair of heels. The trick is to walk heel first, then toe."

"Heel, then toe." Rey repeated, practicing gingerly as she went to fetch her coat.

"Here, allow us," Han told her with a smile, then jerked his head at Kylo.

Rolling his eyes, he walked with Han to the coat rack, trying to untangle the chain that held the coat onto the hook. He couldn't help sneaking glances at Rey as she and his mother talked and laughed with each other, still slightly stupefied at the power she had over him in that gown.

Han let out a short bark of laughter as he followed Kylo's gaze. "Tell you what kid, you got it bad."

Flushing, he turned to bite out a reply when Han gave a small, oddly tender smile towards the girls and added, "Almost as bad as me."

Startled, Kylo peered back and forth between his parents, unsure what to do with this moment that felt oddly… bonding.

"Alright ladies, let's get out of here before our ride turns into a pumpkin." Han called out with a roguish grin, then helped Leia into her coat, stealing a quick kiss as she straightened his jacket.

Holding out Rey's coat, Kylo watched her smile fondly at his parents, then felt his heart skip a beat as he realized that she was wearing his golden sunburst necklace around her neck. She caught his glance, then touched the pendant with a slow grin.

He waited until Han was handing Leia into the limo, then bent down to give Rey a quick kiss, careful not to smudge her make-up.

She blinked up at him, her eyes hazy and full of joy, and he wished he could tell her about why she was the sun, how she glowed with warmth and heat and luminescence, beckoning him closer, like a moth to flame.

Part of him knew this couldn't last, that soon she'd see the darkness within him, see that it was too strong, too powerful to be kept at bay, she'd flee in terror, leaving him alone, or worse, her light would be swallowed up, snuffed out, and it'd be his doing. His fault.

 _Or,_ whispered a small voice, _she could banish the darkness. Lead you out, lead you away._

 _Bring you home._

He knew the flare of hope in his chest was weakness, was an infection, a cancer, dross yet to be burned away. He was supposed to be stronger than this, better than this.

Rey smiled at him, placed her hand over his heart in a silent promise, a soft echo of before.

" _I like the sound of that."_

" _The future."_

She furrowed her brows at him. "Are you okay?"

He nodded, then helped her into the car.

Perhaps it would all end, either in his darkness or her flame.

But if it was for Rey, for the glimmer of hope he could see in her eyes...

He would burn gladly.


	16. As Much As It Deserves

_Quantum meruit: "as much as it deserves" - In contract law, a quasi-contractual remedy that permits partial reasonable payment for an incomplete piece of work (services and/or materials), assessed proportionately, where no price is established when the request is made._

* * *

Rey clutched Kylo's arm as they walked inside, trying not to fall as she stared at the grandeur around her, from the incredibly tall painted ceiling of the hall, to the pieces of artwork on the walls, to the gorgeous evening wear of all the attendees.

"Wow," she whispered, craning her neck as Kylo shook his head in bemusement. "Isn't this amazing?"

He glanced around with furrowed brows. "The appeal wears off quickly."

Rey looked up at him, then tugged his arm gently. "Thanks for coming with me," she told him.

His frown softened at her small, grateful smile. "Just for a few hours," he warned her, trying to sound intimidating.

Nodding, Rey went back to gawking at the surroundings, then leaned over to Leia. "Is that a giant Mobius strip made of silver?"

"Ah yes, proof some people can create any kind of nonsense and call it art," Han scoffed, before Leia shot him an exasperated look.

"There's a silent art auction that goes towards the charity as well," she told Rey. "You should go take a look before it gets crowded."

"Leia!" A woman with long, beautiful white hair walked towards her. "I'm so glad you're here. The mayor has been asking for you for the last half hour, and I have run out of polite ways to tell him I am not your personal GPS."

Leia laughed, then turned, "Winter, you remember my son, Ben?"

Winter's eyebrows twitched slightly in surprise, but otherwise she hid her reaction masterfully. "Of course, Ben, so good to see you. It's been too long."

"Or not long enough," Kylo muttered under his breath, but extended his hand nevertheless.

"And this is Rey. Rey, this is Winter, my campaign manager, and the organizer of this event."

Rey gave a nervous smile. "Wow. It's a pleasure to meet you. This place is amazing."

"Thank you. I do love this style of architecture." Winter told her, looking around at the columns and white marble. "There's a certain understated elegance to it." She tilted her head at Rey, then grinned, "and to you as well, I think."

Before Rey could come up with a response to that, Winter nodded at Kylo. "Ben, I hope this is a sign of things to come," then ushered Leia and Han in the presumable direction of the mayor.

Kylo watched them go with clenched fists, then ran his hand through his hair. "I need a drink."

He took a step, then looked back at Rey. "What would you like?"

"Oh, um…" She struggled to come up with something fancier than her usual beer. "Gin and tonic?"

He nodded, then started off before Rey added, "But not too strong. More than two of those and I will fall asleep on any vaguely comfortable surface."

As she intended, that made the corner of his mouth quirk up the tiniest bit as he headed towards the bar.

Walking slowly, she made her way over to the silver Mobius strip exhibit she saw earlier, trying to see what kind of support system the artist had used to make it look like it was floating. Besides the section touching the base, she figured it must have some sort of steel cable inside, and was crouching down carefully, trying not to fall over or muss her dress, when she heard an amused voice behind her.

"Looking to buy?"

Standing as quickly as she could, then wobbling a bit as she regained her balance, Rey gave the speaker a sheepish grin.

"Oh no, I was just… admiring the craftsmanship."

"Hm." The dark-haired man, who appeared to be a few years older than her, raised an eyebrow. "Callan Krennic. Of the Sativran City Krennics."

"Um… Rey. Just Rey," she introduced herself after a moment, sticking out her hand.

He gave her a cold smile. "That's a lovely gown. Who's it by?"

"Oh, thank you, it's from Mia. She did a really great job." She told him, feeling like she was being tested somehow.

Tilting his head, he gestured to the tables behind them. "Indeed. Very luxe. Now, where are you sitting?"

Rey scanned the empty tables, then shrugged. "I'm not sure. We haven't sat down yet."

Snorting derisively, he stepped forward, any pretense of cordiality gone. "There's one of you every year," he hissed.

She frowned in confusion. "Excuse me?"

He grabbed her arm tightly, then leaned down to whisper in her ear, "You think you can sneak in here with some stolen dress and pass as one of us? Trust me, a classless whore like yourself could never even pretend to belong."

Rey froze, then grit out slowly, "Let go of me."

"Not a chance. Now, we have two choices here, _Rey,_ either I turn you into security, or you come with me right now and we discuss the proper… _compensation."_

She gaped at him as he gave her a lecherous smile, then grabbed his pinkie and bent it all the way back, causing him to leap back with a short howl of pain.

"I said, let go." She hissed through her teeth.

He raised his hand, "Why you little c-"

Rey was fully ready to grab his hand and twist it in ways that no human arm should ever move when a dark gloved hand caught his wrist in an unforgiving grip, halting its movement.

"Rey," Kylo's low tone brimmed with ill-concealed anger. "Everything alright?"

Letting out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, Rey cocked her head to the side. "That depends. Does Callan here often try to coerce women for sexual favors?"

There was a sharp snap from underneath Kylo's glove, followed by a whimper of pain. "I wasn't-"

"Callan Krennic," Kylo interrupted with a sneer. "Still trading off your grandfather's name and dirty money, I take it?"

"You should talk, Sol-" Another crackle from his wrist cut him off.

"Ren," Rey said softly, touching his arm. Kylo waited a few more seconds, then released Krennic, who cradled his wrist and glared at them.

"Quite the hussy you've got there, Solo. How much are you paying her?"

Rey was gratified to watch him flinch as Kylo took a threatening step towards him, but was stayed by Rey's hand. Narrowing his eyes, Kylo asked in a low voice, "Now, Krennic, tell me why I shouldn't inform my mother that you assaulted and attempted to coerce her personal guest?"

The man's face paled as he glanced between Rey and over his shoulder at Leia, who was still speaking with the mayor.

"P-personal guest?" He repeated, a slight waver in his tone.

"She invited Rey up to the house for the holidays, and insisted she attend the gala. But if you don't believe us, perhaps we should confirm." Kylo raised his hand to his mouth, and started to shout, "Mothe-"

"Shhhh!" Krennic hissed, then winced as he shifted his arm. "Alright. Fine."

He began to walk away when Kylo snapped out, "Apologize."

Krennic turned. "What?"

"Apologize to her."

He looked at Rey, then sneered, "Simply because Senator Organa made you her latest charity-"

Kylo grabbed his wrist again. " _Apologize."_

"It's alright, Ren." Rey said, pleased with her attempt to sound dismissive. "I don't want his apology. I'm sure Callan wouldn't recognize class if it was about to knee him in the groin."

Spinning around, revelling slightly in the dramatic swirl of tulle, Rey lifted her hand. "Shall we?"

Kylo gave Krennic's wrist one last squeeze before taking Rey's arm and marching coldly away.

Once they had put some distance between them, Rey could feel her hands start to shake and her heart pound in her ears.

"Oh no no no no." She whispered, glancing around for an exit.

He glanced at her in concern. "What was that? Are you sure you're okay?"

Her chest began to tighten as she struggled to speak, "Where's a door?"

"What?"

"A door! I need some air, I need some air, I need- right now."

Sensing the anxiety in her tone, he quickly led her to a corner door that let out onto a balcony. She gripped the marble railing and tried to control her breathing.

He stepped forward, "Rey, what's going-"

"Stay back."

Kylo froze, eyes wide and uncertain.

"Sorry, it's just… I need some space. I don't do well with people grabbing me. I just need to calm…"

She forced herself to let out one breath for three seconds, then breathe in for the same amount of time, trying to fight off the wave of nausea.

"Wh- what can I do?" He asked softly, hovering a few feet away.

"Water. Can you-"

"I… Water. Yes. I'll get it. Do you need anything-"

"Go!"

As he rushed indoors, Rey shook her head and tried to relax her muscles one at a time, starting with uncurling her toes one by one.

Of course she would have a panic attack now. Couldn't have it in her nice comfy guest bed with her soft pyjamas and warm flannel covers. Nope. Had to have it in a public place where even the napkins cost more than her rent. Paparazzi were probably splashing pictures of her all over the front page of the tabloids this second.

 _Random broke law student personally invited by Senator totally loses her lunch onto a marble balcony that cost a million dollars! Architect in tears at ruination of his masterpiece!_

Once she forced her legs to relax, she tried to unclench her fists, then looked up as Kylo burst through the door.

"I have water!"

Rey stared at him, then burst into a hysterical laugh. He was precariously balancing multiple bottles of sparkling water, glasses of tap water, a whole gallon of nordic artisan water, and a bucket of ice.

"I didn't know which kind you wanted." He told her, frowning as she started crying from laughing so hard.

"I'm surprised…" she tried to get out into between giggles, "you didn't bring a swimming pool!"

"There's one just down that way," he pointed cautiously past the bushes, as she slid onto the floor, snickers slowly dissolving into hiccupping breaths.

She motioned to one of the glasses of tap water while trying to breathe normally. After alternating between sips and breaths, she finally got herself under control, then took Kylo's outstretched hand.

"Sorry about that," she told him, brushing off imaginary specks from her dress.

He studied her worriedly. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah. It's just a panic attack. I get them sometimes when people grab me. And threaten me. Kriffing git."

Kylo stared at the ground while Rey glanced wistfully through the windows at the gala, where a small orchestra was beginning to play as hazy shapes spun around the floor.

"We should probably go," she sighed, still watching the dancers.

His head shot up. "What?"

"I mean, you don't want to be here, and I clearly don't belong in there, especially after… we should just go."

She turned to see him regarding her with furrowed brows. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah." Giving him a sad half smile, Rey shrugged, "So much for being Cinderella, huh?"

Kylo frowned, then straightened and held out his hand in a decisive motion.

Rey tilted her head. "What are you doing?"

"Even Cinderella got one dance before midnight. And if you still want to leave after, we'll go. But _not_ because you think you don't belong." He told her, his voice an odd mixture of firm and gentle.

She shook her head and rubbed her arm. "Here's something that won't shock you; I don't know how to dance."

He gave her a wry lift of his eyebrows as he bowed invitingly. "Well I do."

She slowly slipped her hand into his, cautiously giving into his pull to come closer, her pulse beginning to speed up again for an entirely different reason as his large hand spanned her lower back.

"Just… trust me."

So she did.

He spun her around the balcony effortlessly, not even wincing when she stepped on his toes with her heels. After a few turns, she started to recognize the pattern of movement, the slight back and forth and side to side, then step, step, step, step, then back and forth and side to side...

Adjusting her breathing to the soft music, she found her mind drifting away from the lingering imprint of Krennic's grip, away from the unfounded anxiety that still curled in her stomach, and only focusing on the flowing strings of the orchestra, the warmth of his hand, the way he shifted his palm against her back in the direction they were about to move.

She closed her eyes and listened to the quiet _swish-swish_ as her gown brushed against the marble, the muffled click of Ren's shoes as he followed the dance, then leaned her head gently on his chest, to hear the low _thump-thump_ of his heart.

She felt, more than heard the slight chuckle he gave her. "I think that's a different dance."

"Mm-hmm." She hummed absently, letting the faint beat of his heart chase away the last of Krennic's voice.

His answering sigh was probably meant to sound exasperated, but instead implied acceptance, as he slowed his pace and pressed her closer, resting his chin lightly on the top of her head as they swayed back and forth.

As the orchestra swelled to a crescendo, Rey snapped her eyes open as Kylo shifted his grip to twirl her theatrically, chiffon flaring out in a wide circle of ever-changing greens and blues as she spun, then ending in a low dip, her entire weight resting on his hand as she tilted her head, her entire body arched and leaning dangerously close to the ground.

He stared at her for a moment, dark eyes unreadable. His mouth opened a little, as if to speak, then he shook his head and gently pulled her back to standing, reverent fingers softly resettling her sunburst pendant below her collarbone.

"We should-" his voice came out in a low rumble, and he coughed, flushing slightly, then repeated, "We should go. Do you want to go back inside, or straight for the car?"

Head still spinning a little from their dance, Rey blinked, then glanced through the windows.

"I don't know." She fiddled with her necklace, then looked up at him and asked, "What do you think?"

"I…" Motion inside caught his eye, and the corner of his mouth quirked up. "I think they're about to serve food."

"What?!" Rey immediate ran to press her nose to the glass, watching the servers pass by with trays of food. "Well, hurry up then!"

Kylo shook his head fondly, then offered Rey his arm as they walked back into the hall, guiding her to their assigned table.

"There you two are. Did you get to admire the art?" Leia smiled as they took their seats.

"Had a chat with Callan Krennic." Kylo growled, pulling out his chair with a bit more force than necessary.

Narrowing her eyes, Leia looked over to where Krennic was cradling his arm and shouting angrily at the waiter bringing him a drink.

"Did you now. Did he have anything interesting to say?"

Rey shrugged. "He called me an escort, then threatened to turn me in to security unless I compensated him somehow."

As if he could sense something was amiss, Krennic glanced up to see the entire Solo family regarding him with a cold fury. Blood draining from his face, he mumbled an excuse to the rest of his table and made a hasty exit.

"Duly noted." Leia commented in a deceptively calm tone. "Winter?"

"Oh, it would be my pleasure, Senator," Winter responded, an evil glint in her eye as she stood and motioned to the head of security.

Han raised an eyebrow. "What happened to his arm?"

"Nothing he didn't deserve," muttered Kylo darkly.

To his surprise, Han chuckled and gave him a grin. "I'm sure. Good for you, kid."

Blinking, Kylo stared at Han for a moment before awkwardly nodding, then turned to focus on the appetizer course.

Hours later, as Ms. D'Acy, the founder of the charity, was in the middle of her speech detailing their vision for the future, Kylo leaned over towards his mother and whispered, "We're going to head out."

Leia turned to him, brows furrowed questioningly, until Kylo jerked his head at Rey, who was propped up on her arm, half-asleep as she clutched a slice of bread. Smiling, Leia nodded, then placed her hand on his arm.

"Thank you for coming. It means a lot."

He stopped, mid-way to standing, then softly mumbled, "...You're welcome," before quickly gathering Rey and leading her out to the valet station.

The second they got in the car, Rey pulled off her heels, dropped them in Kylo's lap, then slumbered on his shoulder the entire drive back to the house, snoring occasionally and murmuring random commands about how to make bread while disassembling an engine.

As the car pulled up, Kylo opted to carry Rey into the house instead of waking her, managing somehow to hold her shoes in one hand, see around the cloud of tulle to unlock the door, and make it up the stairs without dropping her.

He set her down gently in front of her room. "Rey, we're here."

"Mmff." She grumbled then rubbed her eyes, smearing her make-up. "M'kay. I'mma go now."

Fumbling for the knob, she finally opened the door and started to step in when he caught her hand.

"Rey."

"Mm?" She asked, blinking at him slowly with large dark circles around her eyes, hair starting to frizz as it came undone.

He stared at her like he had never seen anything so beautiful, then looked at the floor. "I just… I'm sorry."

Rey frowned at him. "For wha'?"

"What Krennic said, the way he talked to you, grabbed you-"

" 'S okay. He's not the only douche I've wanted to-"

"No, it's… I was like that."

She tilted her head at him, coming a bit more awake at the emotion in his voice.

"I've always hated Krennic, even when we were kids. He's a pretentious, entitled bully, and I- anyway, tonight, when you said that you get attacks when people threaten you, grab you. I… I thought I was so different from him."

He shifted his weight in agitation, running his hand through his hair. "But when we first met, when we started studying together, the way I talked to you… and at Thanksgiving, after Luke… I didn't even realize I was…"

Letting out an irritated breath, he tried to formulate his thoughts as Rey watched him.

"I… I'm sorry. For… what I said. What I did. For being like that."

She gave him a soft, forgiving smile, then reached up to touch his face, lightly tracing the scar on his cheek from her slap, all that time ago.

"You _used_ to be like that." She told him, and he closed his eyes and leaned into her palm.

Grinning a little, she added, "But trust me, if you tried anything like that now, I'd definitely kick you in the groin. And some other places too."

He let out a ghost of a laugh. "I'm sure I'd deserve it."

Pulling her slowly to his chest, he laid his cheek on top of her head, kissing her hair lightly. "Not sure I deserve you, though."

"Hey, I'm the one with panic attacks. I don't think I deserve someone who tries to bring me _all_ the water in the entire building," she teased, then nestled into his chest. "Thanks, by the way."

He held her for a few moments, then murmured, "Any time."

Yawning loudly, Rey kissed his cheek, then stepped into her room. "Happy Christmas, Ren."

"Happy Christmas, Rey."

As her door closed, Kylo couldn't help but realize that maybe, despite everything, this actually felt like a genuinely happy Christmas.


	17. Before You Hear, Do Not Judge

_Prius quam exaudias ne iudices: "Before you hear, do not judge"_

* * *

"Are you _sure_ you can't stay longer?" Leia asked, and Rey could hear Kylo roll his eyes as he loaded their bags into the car.

Rey smiled. "I'd love to, but I've got Christmas with my roommates tomorrow. Otherwise we totally would."

Both women ignored the snort Kylo made behind them.

"Well, we'll have to keep you longer next time," Han drawled as he came over. "Put you to work in the shop, maybe even take you up in one of the Raptors."

Her eyes widened. "Really?! That'd be amazing."

Shrugging, Han deflected, "They all say that, til they're puking in one of those little baggies."

"Han!" Leia admonished then leaned in towards Rey and whispered, "He must really like you. He usually doesn't take anyone up in his jets."

"Hey! Are we leaving or what?" Kylo shouted from the car, having already said his blunt goodbyes with a curt nod at Han and a slightly less reluctant than usual hug for Leia.

"One sec!" Rey shouted back, then turned towards the Solos.

"I just wanted to say…" she swallowed, trying her best not to get choked up, "this has honestly been the best Christmas I have ever had." She managed a watery smile. "Thank you both so, so much."

Leia pulled her in for a warm, motherly hug. "We loved every moment of having you here. And after everything you've done…" She trailed off as she looked at her son, then gave Rey an extra squeeze. "Having him home for Christmas was the best gift I could have asked for."

"Yeah. You did alright, kid." Han offered gruffly, and Leia shook her head in exasperation as he tried to mask the waver in his voice. Rey grinned, then surprised him with a hug.

Kylo beeped the horn. "C'mon! You've been saying goodbye for an hour!"

Rey skipped over to the car as Leia called out, "Next time you see me call, answer your phone!"

He let out an annoyed sigh, then nodded, "Yeah, okay, fine."

"We love you!"

"Love you too! Bye!" Rey shouted out the window, waving back at them as Kylo peeled out of the driveway.

"Geez that took forever." He muttered as they pulled onto the main road. "I thought they were going to convince you to move in."

"Hey, classes don't start until after New Year's. We could stay a bit longer."

Rey laughed as he shot her a dark look. "I'm kidding! C'mon, admit it, it wasn't all that bad."

"Bad enough."

They drove in silence for a moment, then Rey added cautiously, "There were a few good things that happened, though. Right?"

Kylo glanced over to see her watching him with uncertain eyes. Ignoring the buzzing from his phone, he reached across to hold her hand.

"One good thing," he told her, and was rewarded with a bright, joyful smile.

"Are you sure you don't want to come over?" Kylo whined as he unloaded her bag from his TIE Fighter. "Just for a bit?"

Rey laughed as she pulled out the handle of her suitcase. "Yes, I'm sure. If I go over for 'a bit', a bit will turn into 'a while' and then I'll miss Roommate Christmas."

He leaned against the car door and drew her close, rumbling, "There are worse things that could happen," then kissed her soundly, heat rising as he threaded his fingers through her hair.

When they finally broke apart, Rey's heartbeat was significantly faster and she was much more tempted by his offer, but she stood firm. "The boys get in tonight, so I want the apartment to be ready, plus I want some time to myself, in my own place, in my own bed."

"You sure about that?" He murmured as he went for her neck, Rey closing her eyes for just a moment before stepping back and thumping his chest playfully.

"You're a bad influence." She told him, the corner of her mouth turning up despite her words.

Kylo gave her a rare smile.

"Yes I am," he agreed, then tried to tug her in for another kiss.

Rey pointed her finger at him authoritatively, and he growled a little and held up his hands.

"Alright, alright. As my queen commands."

She rolled her eyes at his theatrics, then bit her lip. "But maybe I can come over the day after?"

"Promise?"

Rey grinned and stuck out her little finger. "Pinkie promise."

He raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"It's the most solemn vow one can make. C'mon."

Sighing, he shook her pinkie with his own, then used their link to pull her in for a lingering kiss that was seriously making her question her resolve.

"I'll miss you," he whispered, so quietly Rey barely heard it.

"It's just one day."

He rested his forehead against hers. "I know."

She kissed the end of his nose. "I'll miss you too."

With another quick peck on the lips, she waved as she pulled her suitcase behind her, unable to keep a wide smile from splitting her face. And if she sang obnoxiously loud Disney songs as she unpacked and cleaned the apartment, no one was there to notice.

"HAPPY CHRISTMAS!" Rey shouted at 8 am sharp the next morning, shaking the cheap jingle bell decorations in the direction of her sleeping roommates.

"Aahh!" Poe yelled, then there was a loud thump and high-pitched barking from behind the door as he fell off his bed and BB-8 wondered what kind of fun game they were playing.

"Whyyyyy?" Finn cried as he shuffled out of his room, wearing three layers of blankets.

"Because it's Roommate Christmas morning!" Rey answered, sliding a plate full of pancakes at her foster brother.

Poe's door cracked open, unleashing a deliriously happy corgi, who ran around sniffing everyone, just to make sure they were really there.

"Shhhhhhhhhh." Poe motioned to the world in general as he made his way to his chair.

"Coffee?" She offered, placing a warm mug in Poe's hand.

"Bless you."

"And hot cocoa for my bro," she said, twirling over towards Finn.

Poe squinted at her. "Why are you so…" he gestured vaguely, "loud?"

"Hey, one more comment like that and the only gift you'll be getting is coal." Rey warned, and both boys perked up at the reminder about presents.

Mugs in hand, the roommates were soon exchanging gifts, interrupted occasionally by BB trying to steal the bacon off their plates.

Poe thanked her for the 'One Free Car Check-up' coupon, then laughed loudly at the collection of corgi face and butt magnets Rey had got him, and went to immediately display them on the fridge. Finn lit up as soon as he unwrapped the 'Make Your Own Truffles' kit, announcing plans to try it out later and promising that they could eat his failures.

Rey was touched by Finn's custom-made candle that actually did smell like Hobbiton somehow, and grinned as she opened an envelope containing twenty coupons for 'Room with Door'. Poe had gotten her a set of teas that promised comfort in cold weather, and she immediately put the kettle on so she could test them out.

Poe gave Finn a friendly punch as he unwrapped a set of form apology notes, with a list of reasons for behavior including "I just felt like it", "It seemed like a good idea at the time", and "You were nearby", then promptly filled out the form apologizing for punching him, selecting the options for "Mercury was in retrograde" and "Someone else made me".

In return for his apology post-it, Finn used Poe's gift to award him with a blue ribbon that declared "Most Okayest Friend", and handed Rey one that read "I Put On Pants Today!", which she accepted with a bow.

As BB snacked on the peanut-butter treats from Rey, the roommates refilled their drinks and told each other stories about their Christmases, where Finn had been asked by nearly every Tico relative when he and Rose were getting married, and how they should only speak Vietnamese to their babies.

"I was so flustered I turned too fast and knocked over a lamp, where it shattered all over the floor, because that's exactly my luck. Her grandmother, who I swear is like 150 years old, appeared out of nowhere and started yelling at me for destroying her feng shui."

"Oh no! Then what happened?"

Finn blushed and gestured helplessly, "I offered to buy her a new feng shui."

Rey and Poe howled with laughter as he continued, "So now her grandma is shouting at me in Vietnamese, Paige is in tears, she laughing so hard, and Rose is trying to explain what feng shui is at the same time as all of her cousins ask me if Amazon sells feng shui and how much they could sell theirs for on eBay."

"Good going there, lover boy," Poe teased.

"How was your trip, Poe?" Rey asked as she poured herself a fresh cup of tea. "Have a good Christmas?"

"Eh, depends. There were only two topics of conversation: my mom's new car, or passive aggressive remarks to BB about how sad they are that he's the only grandchild they have." Poe shrugged, "But I least I knew that going in, so overall, not too bad. Got some time out on the track, so that was fun. For a while."

Grinning, Finn bumped his shoulder. "What, your mom beat you again?"

"Look man, she's got the newest Lambo out there, and it's this hideous orange color. She only won because I was blinded by its ugliness."

Rey winked at Finn. "Such sour grapes. Your mom is just a better driver than you, admit it."

"Hey, missy, you come in to my house-"

"Apartment." Finn corrected.

"My place of residence and disrespect my car-"

"Technically I'm disrespecting you." Rey jibed with a smile, and Poe threw up his hands in frustration.

"That's it! I rescind all my gifts!"

"Too late! No take backs!" Rey bopped him playfully on the head and took her mug to the sink, smiling and humming as she washed it out.

As she was singing under her breath, Rey turned to see both of her roommates staring at her thoughtfully.

"What?"

Poe raised a suspicious eyebrow. "You seem… happy."

"Of course I'm happy. I'm usually happy. Plus, it's Roommate Christmas. Why wouldn't I be?"

Finn also looked troubled, "Yeah, but this is a different kind of happy. You look like you're… glowing."

"Seriously?" Rey rolled her eyes. "I can't even smile without you guys commenting on-"

"OH MY GOD." Poe pointed a dramatic finger at her as he gasped. "YOU HOOKED UP WITH CRYLO!"

Rey froze a second too long. "What? Why on earth would you think-"

Finn's jaw dropped. "Oh my God, is he _right?!"_

"She did! She and Hot Topic are an item and they're going to make little goth babies."

"Okay, for the last time, his name is-"

"You guys slept together?" Finn looked horrified and slapped his hand over his eyes. "Oh man, now I have that in my brain-"

"For Pete's sake, we were at his parents' for like three days! We did not sleep together!"

Poe smirked knowingly. "But something happened, didn't it?"

Trapped, Rey felt an involuntary blush creeping up her neck. "I… We…"

The boys, joined by BB-8, had to lean over the couch to hear the end of Rey's mumbled sentence.

"We… might have…" Turning beet red, Rey stared at the floor and whispered, "kissed."

Finn fell off the couch in shock while Poe jumped up to twirl her around in a hug. "Our little Rey of sunshine, all grown up! You're now truly a woman."

"Get off of me!" Rey groused as she shoved Poe away in embarrassment. "And we just kissed, okay? I don't even know what that means, if it means anything, so just…"

"Alright, alright, I'll let you and your Dork Knight navigate the course of love all on your own." He ruffled her hair with a wink as she mock glared at him, then went over to Finn who was still prone on the floor.

"Enough with the theatrics, Finn." She said, pulling him back up to the couch.

"I don't know. My baby sister smooching a guy like Kylo Ren… I might never recover." He teased.

Rey gave a loud sigh, then perched on the edge of her seat, biting her lip. "So, do you… What do you think?"

Finn frowned. "About you guys kissing? Um, I don't think about it. At all. No way."

"No, I mean… before, you said that you were worried about… him. Us. Are you still…?" She motioned vaguely.

He thought a moment, then looked into her eyes. "Okay, let me ask you this. Are you happy? With him, with everything that's happened, with how it's happened, all of it."

Rey glanced at the floor, then met his gaze. "Honestly? Yeah. I am."

Giving her his trademark warm smile, he pulled her into a hug. "Then I'm happy. Simple as that."

She breathed a sigh of relief and comfort, then Poe sat down next to them with a bowl of popcorn.

"Okay, Sunshine, start from the beginning. No detail is too small. Now go."

As Rey rolled her eyes, but grabbed a handful of popcorn and started her story anyways, she couldn't help but feel like this was the beginning of a new, gloriously happy season of life.

The next morning, she skipped over to Kylo's house and banged pots and pans around in his kitchen, pretending to make Skittle omelets for breakfast until he stumbled out of bed, grousing about inconsiderate intruders before sweeping her into a warm kiss.

After investigating the refrigerator and finding nothing worth eating, Rey munched on Cheetos as Kylo lectured her about nutrition.

"Hey, I wouldn't have to eat Cheetos for breakfast if you had any real food in this house."

"You're the one who convinced me to leave over the holidays. If you don't clean out the fridge, things start to mold and go bad."

"Eh, a little mold never killed anyone."

"Yes it has! The most recent case of mold poisoning was-"

"Okay, okay, nevermind! I give up!" Rey finished her bag, then turned to him with a wide grin. "You know what this means though."

He sighed as he sipped his coffee. "What?"

"Shopping trip!"

"Oh no. No no no no-"

Two hours later, they were walking back from the grocery store, laden down with milk, eggs, bread, and a variety of 'snack food essentials', as Rey called them.

"Cinnamon rolls are incredibly bad for you." Kylo told her as she licked the icing off her fingers. "It's basically sugar bread covered in more sugar."

"Doesn't sugar give you energy though? Therefore, it's good for you! Point to me!"

"Okay, first, sugar is completely void of any nutrients, which means it's purely empty calories, not to mention the detriment to your teeth-"

Rey looked up as Kylo suddenly froze in the middle of the sidewalk.

"Hey, if you can make it just a few more feet, you can lecture me in the house." She teased, then furrowed her brow as the blood started to drain from his face. "Ren? You okay?"

"Kylo Ren." A low, sneering voice called out, and Rey turned to see a redheaded man and an incredibly tall platinum blonde woman standing in front of the house.

"Hux. Phasma." Kylo growled through his teeth as he instinctively stepped in front of Rey. "What are you doing here?"

"You don't call, you don't write, how else is one supposed to get in touch?" The man asked derisively, then gave Rey a supercilious look. "Now where did you find her? A scrapyard?"

Fighting a blush, Rey glared at him, then touched Kylo's arm. "Ren? Let's just go."

"Go away, Armitage," Kylo said finally, then took a few steps forward, only to be blocked by the intimidating blonde.

"Now, now. We have business to discuss. Aren't you going to invite us inside?" Hux gestured to the door as Kylo's grip on the bags tightened.

"No."

"At least be civil and send your scavenger away then. Unless you'd like her to hear all about our business?" Hux raised a mocking eyebrow as he stared Kylo down.

"Ren, let's just-"

"Why don't you go inside?" Kylo told her under his breath, and she turned to stare at him.

"What? No. I'm not leaving you alone with-"

"Just. Go." He grit out, still watching the pair across from them.

Hux smiled predatorily at her as she bit the inside of her cheek, then gathered the groceries from Kylo and walked inside, trying to fight off the waves of embarrassment and confusion as she slammed the door and tossed the bags onto the table. Pacing, she walked past the door and heard Hux comment casually, "Well, she's certainly adorable. Find her on clearance somewhere?"

"Spit it out, Hux. Say whatever you came to say, then leave."

"Temper, temper." After a second of hesitation, Rey peeked through the peephole to see Hux shaking his head sardonically. "What would Senator Snoke have to say about such manners?"

"Perhaps I should punch your teeth out and then ask him?" Kylo snarled, and Phasma shifted her weight slightly, as if preparing for battle.

"Gentlemen," she spoke for the first time, her tone implying that the term was barely applicable. "The point?"

Hux sighed, then straightened his shoulders. "The Senator would like to know if you've gained any more information on your last visit to the Solos."

Rey's breath caught in her throat.

"No. They don't trust me. I burned that bridge a long time ago."

"Strange then, that they would invite you to their home for the holidays. One might think that there is an attempt at reparation."

"Not by me."

"Oh, so they're offering you their trust, and you're rejecting it? How disappointed Snoke will be to hear it." In contrast to his words, Hux sounded almost gleeful.

"They offered me nothing. If I had more information, I'd tell the Senator, not you."

Her heartbeat loud in her ears, Rey tried to convince herself she must have heard wrong.

"And yet you've told all parties involved nothing. Not a single word about you attending Thanksgiving, where Luke Skywalker made an appearance, nor about you spending multiple days at the Solos alone, with your little… scavenger."

Hux tilted his head thoughtfully. "Although, perhaps she'd be more willing to divulge information. Why don't we ask her?"

Kylo skidded in front of him, fists clenched. "She knows nothing. She is nothing. A charity case that has only heard the lies the Solos tell everyone else."

She stumbled back, as if struck by a physical blow.

"Hmm. The Senator grows impatient with your lack of progress."

"I gave him everything I had four years ago!"

"And it wasn't enough, was it? Organa still won."

"It's not my fault you didn't do your job. If he's impatient with me, I'm sure he's furious with you. Your failure to use any of the resources I gave you to their full effect only shows how incompetent you are."

There was an angry snarl, then footsteps that were abruptly halted.

"Hux," Phasma's even tone commanded attention. "Our schedule."

"Fine." Rey watched as Hux stepped towards the black car, then paused. "You know, I wonder how quickly this would all disappear if Senator Snoke began to question your loyalty."

He closed the car door, then gave Kylo a cruel smile as he drove away. "Food for thought!"

Kylo stood on the sidewalk until the car disappeared around a corner, then marched back towards the house with large, angry steps.

He slammed the door behind him, then paused as he saw Rey, standing with folded arms in the middle of the room.

"What was that about?" She asked softly.

"Nothing." He said curtly, walking around her to get himself a glass of water from the kitchen.

"Oh. Nothing. That's good to hear." Rey tried to stop her voice from shaking with anger as she continued, "For a moment I thought that Snoke's campaign manager and the lead editor of the _Supremacy_ showed up at your door to ask you for blackmail against your family. So relieved to know that's not the case!"

Finishing his glass of water, he leaned against the counter and stared at the floor. "What do you want from me?"

"What do I…? I… I want you to tell me the truth. Are you… are you working for him?"

He didn't look up. "What do you think?"

"I don't know what to think, Ren! That's why I'm asking!"

He regarded the floor for a minute, then met her gaze. "Yes."

Taken aback by his blunt answer, Rey fumbled for a response. "Why?"

"Why? _Why?!"_ He stood suddenly and came towards her as Rey took a step back. "Because I left that place when I was seventeen. I had nothing, no one, for years. Then Snoke found me, helped me. He helped me change my name, gave me a place to stay, paid for my college, law school, everything. And all I had to do was tell him the truth."

Luke's voice suddenly echoed in her ear.

 _Be careful._

 _He is not the man you think he is._

"And Luke?"

Kylo's eyes flashed dangerously. "What about him?"

"Why were you at his school? How did you get kicked out?"

She could see his jaw clench as he gripped the back of a nearby chair.

"Snoke was…" he rubbed his shoulder in memory, " _disappointed_ when she still won her seat. He thought that if he got more information about the rest of the family, he could do more."

Rey blinked at him. "He sent you to spy on him?"

"He pointed out the truth about Luke, about who he was, how he taught. But the old man is as paranoid as he is hypocritical. I didn't find anything the whole year, so near the end, I had to go into his office, tried to find something I could give to Snoke."

"Luke caught you." Rey finished in a whisper.

"He wouldn't _listen!"_ He snapped. "I tried to tell him, tried to explain, but he just wouldn't…"

Eyes wide, voice disbelieving, she asked, "So you helped Snoke blackmail your family, tried ruin your mother's career, her _life_ , for… what? Money? Revenge?"

"You don't know what they're really like!" He shouted, slamming his fist down on the table. "They never even _looked_ at me unless I did something wrong, and once I was old enough to have my own thoughts, _everything_ I did was wrong!"

"So they deserve to have their lives ruined?!"

"Their lives are a lie! They're not this perfect little family, these perfect people that everyone thinks they are! You don't understand-"

"You're right, I don't!" Rey shouted back. "I don't understand any of this, because I've never had a family! For twenty years, I've had to live with the fact that either my family is dead, or that they're alive and never once cared enough to look for me! And honestly, I don't know which is worse."

Wiping away her angry tears, she finished in a quieter voice, "And maybe they were awful parents, but I have never seen anyone try so _damn hard_ to make amends."

She sniffed, then grabbed her bag. "I… I have to go. I can't be here."

"Rey,"

The softness of his tone caused her to glance up as he extended his hand. "Join me."

She stared, uncomprehending. "What?"

"Join me. Tell Snoke what you heard, what you saw up at the house. He could help you too."

Taking a slow step back, she shook her head. "Don't do this, Ren."

"No, listen, he's paying for my school. I have a guaranteed clerkship, a guaranteed job after this. He can do the same for you."

"Ren, please."

"You're not- You're not listening! Let go of what you think of them, just listen to-"

"I'm leaving." She announced, turning the doorknob.

"Rey!" Knowing she shouldn't, but unable to resist, she looked back at him, hand still out to her, eyes overbright, voice pleading, "You don't know what I'm offering you."

She shook her head, in disappointment, in disbelief, in heartbreak.

"That's the problem, Ren." She told him, voice breaking on his name as she pulled the door closed behind her.

"I do."


	18. Let Justice Be Done Tho the Heavens Fall

_Fiat justitia ruat caelum: "Let justice be done, though the heavens fall" - a legal maxim that justice must be done regardless of the result otherwise._

* * *

She could hear hushed voices outside the door as she held her knees to her chest, sitting quietly in the dark.

"...don't know any more than you do. She just handed me one of the coupons I made her for Christmas and closed the door without saying anything!"

"That was a day and a half ago! Is she sick? How did she look?"

"I mean, she was pale, but I saw her for like thirty seconds before she went in."

"She hasn't come out at all? Did you try to bribe her with chocolate?"

"Chocolate bars, chocolate bites, hot cocoa, truffles, you name it, I've tried it. She just keeps saying 'No thank you' in the softest whisper I've ever heard. I've never seen her like this and I'm starting to get freaked out!"

"Should we call someone?"

"Like who?"

"Rose? She's a girl. Maybe this is a girl thing?"

"She gets grumpy during her period, not quiet. Not like this."

"Okay, she's gotta be hungry, right? And it's 10:30, which means…"

"Oo, good idea."

There was a soft knock, then the door creaked open, sending a slice of light into the darkened room.

"Hey peanut," Finn said with a cautious grin. "How're you feeling?"

She had to dig a little to remember how to talk. "Fine."

BB-8 pushed his way in, then hopped up on the bed and tried to nose his head under her hand for pets, then whined when she didn't move.

"Okay, so Poe and I were thinking of going to Emmie's for brunch. Remember how they have those morning mimosas that you like?"

She kept staring at her knees. "No thank you."

Finn shot Poe an anxious look. Coming around and kneeling in front of her, Poe placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Look sunshine, you're kind of freaking us out, plus you haven't eaten in a while, so how about this - you come with us, go outside, eat some food, and then we will leave you completely alone for a whole day. You don't have to talk, or change, or anything else. Just walk with us to the diner, eat a little bit of food, then walk back. Deal?"

After a few moments, she let out a breath. "Okay."

"That's my girl!" Poe cheered, leading her out of the room as Finn took her other arm and BB barked in concern. "We'll be back in no time, promise."

True to her word, Rey went with them to the diner, sipped some water and nibbled on a piece toast in silence while Poe and Finn made small talk and tried to keep their worried glances to a minimum.

As they walked up the stairs to the apartment, Finn commenting on how nice it was to get out of the apartment for a few hours, the entire group stopped abruptly outside their door.

There, slouched on the floor with his legs drawn up to his chin, was Kylo Ren. As soon as he saw them, he unfolded himself with a jerk and shot up to his feet, eyes bloodshot and hair wild.

He stood, watching Rey like he was drowning and she was land, then spoke in a soft, grief-stricken voice, "Rey."

Her head came up for the first time in days, and she slowly met his dark, despairing gaze with her own.

Holding out his hand, Kylo opened his mouth a few times, searching for any words he could say, then eventually let out a small, half-sobbed, "Please."

Rey stared at his open palm, and for half a moment, gathered herself to move, to step towards him, to take his hand. Then, biting her lip, she looked at his face, eyes overbright with unshed tears, and shook her head.

She darted into the apartment with sudden movement, slamming the door behind her.

"You bastard!" Finn snarled, and hurtled towards the tall man until Poe hauled him back.

"What the hell?" Finn demanded as Poe jerked his head at Kylo.

"Don't you recognize a broken man when you see one?"

Shaking off Poe's grip, Finn looked down the hall to where Kylo was standing, head down, shoulders drooping, bereft of hope.

"Besides, we've got something more important to take care of." Poe said, heading into the apartment with Finn close behind.

They walked into the living room to see Rey sitting on the floor, back against the couch, resting her forehead against her knees.

"Peanut?" Finn called softly, sitting next to her on the floor while Poe came around to her other side.

Rey sat in silence for a minute, then started shaking with sobs as the boys put their arms around her in comfort, BB-8 pushing his way into her lap to add some warmth and doggie kisses as she finally wept.

* * *

"Now, are you absolutely sure? We can stay if you want. Just one word and- you know what, I'll just call Rose and tell her-"

"Oh my God, would you go already?" Rey shoved him lightly with a small smile. "I'll be fine. I promise."

Poe shrugged on his jacket and walked over. "Look Finn, you go, I'll stay. She shouldn't be alone-"

"No one is staying!" Rey threw up her hand in fond exasperation. "And I won't be alone, because I have BB!"

The corgi snuggled next to her and barked in agreement.

"Seriously guys, I'm going to take a shower, watch some tv, and go to sleep well before the ball drops. Don't let your New Year's be lame just because I am."

The boys glanced at each other, then Finn asked, "Are you-"

"If you ask me if I'm sure one more time, I will unleash BB amongst your shoes. Now go!" She pointed firmly at the door until Finn gave her a warm hug.

"Promise me you'll text or call or anything if you change your mind."

She smiled and nodded. "I promise."

"Want us to bring you anything?" Poe offered as he grabbed his house keys. "A whole bottle of champagne? That might turn into a half bottle of champagne?"

"If you see any, grab me some of those terrible plastic horns so I can wake you up nice and early in style," She told him with a grin.

"Low blow, sunshine." Poe told her, shaking his head, then whispered to Finn, "I think she's feeling better."

"Yes, I am. Now go, before I have to kick you out." She ushered them to the door and shouted down the hall, "and you better not be back until after midnight!"

"Count on it!" Poe called back, slinging his arm around Finn's shoulder as her brother gave her a wave.

Rey waved back, then closed the door and leaned on it, letting out a long breath. BB came up and whined at her in concern.

"I'm okay. I just need some peace and quiet is all. You know how they are, hovering over me as if I'm going to break down at any second."

"Arrooo."

"Exactly. I'm stronger than they think I am, and I really am okay."

BB tilted his head and drooled a little as Rey let out another sigh.

"And if I keep telling myself that, it'll eventually come true. Right?"

The corgi licked her hand in encouragement, then shoved his nose under her hand so she could pet him.

Rey gave a weak laugh, then scratched behind BB's ears. "You're right. No use sitting around, feeling sorry for myself. I'm going to take a shower, then we are going to watch some Amazing Race reruns! How's that sound?"

Yipping excitedly, BB-8 ran to where his treats were kept, then rolled over in an irresistible ploy to impress her.

Hours later, they watched Phil sent off the racers around the world while BB snacked on peanut butter and Rey put up her wet hair in three buns while snacking on Finn's latest attempt at chocolate truffles.

A loud crack from outside startled them, and Rey looked out the window to see yellow sparks coming from the apartment building a few blocks away. Checking the time, Rey shook her head and shouted out the window, "You've got half an hour, you wankers!"

The only response was a succession of red fireworks coming from the other side. Rey rolled her eyes, fetched a blanket, then went out on the fire escape to stargaze while she still could.

She tried to lose herself in the stars, imagining what life was like on the planets near Orion's Belt, or Ursa Minor, what the people would look like, if they had languages or currency, how her life might be different if she was somewhere else. Or someone else. Someone who wasn't a penniless law school student. Who wasn't an orphan with no last name. Someone besides…

"Rey?"

She blinked at the familiarity of the voice, the desperate hope it held.

"Rey, is that-"

The voice stopped, then let out a bitter chuckle.

"Let me guess. This is a glitch. You still haven't fixed your phone."

Staring the screen next to her, she could make out his silhouette, watch the battle of emotions play out across his face.

"Not going to talk to me, are you?"

She opened her mouth, to say... what? Nothing would change what he did. How he felt about his parents. How he probably felt about her.

"You know what, fine. You want to do the silent treatment, the cold shoulder, or whatever this is, fine. Fine! But do it _right_. Delete my number. Just erase me from your life. Pretend like none of this ever happened, like we ever had anything real. Like you didn't just throw me away the second I disappointed you!"

She swiveled around in anger, a multitude of angry retorts on her tongue.

 _Low blow, Crylo._

 _That's not fair._

 _You know that's not why._

 _I'm not the one who lied._

 _If you had just-_

 _(Just what? Told her the horrendous truth earlier? Gone back in time and not tried to ruin his parents' lives? Not told her anything?)_

 _(They were doomed from the start. She was a fool not to see it.)_

But if she spoke, if she said anything, he'd know. He'd hear the crack in her voice, see the tears on her face, feel the imprint of the sunburst pendant as she gripped it in her hand.

If she spoke, she'd break.

So she said nothing.

Silence stretched between them, like a sea of galaxies.

"Say _something,_ damn it!" He shouted, his frustration underlined with misery and sorrow.

Sounds drifted from the party across the street, excited cheers and plastic noisemakers echoing out the open window.

"Five, four, three, two, one. Happy New Year!"

The sky lit up with big-budget fireworks from City Park, stars of red and blue illuminating the darkness for a bright, glorious moment before slowly fading away into ash.

"Anything," he pleaded, so soft she barely heard it.

She took a breath, searching for words, for answers, for a way to fix everything.

"Happy New Year," she whispered into the phone, then ended the call before she started weeping, hugging herself tightly, as if unsure she could bear the weight of his name left hanging in the air.


	19. Self Defense

_Se defendendo: "self-defense" - The act of defending one's own person or property, or the well-being or property of another._

* * *

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to Legal Writing and Research II: Even More Writing and Research."

Scattered laughs echoed around the classroom.

"And just like last semester, you will be working in random pairs, but this time we are dividing you up according to birthdays. If you somehow manage to end up with the same partner, I'd go buy some lottery tickets because the some odds are definitely in your favor."

Rey let out a soft sigh of relief. She didn't know her real birthday, so the foster system always used July 25th, the day she was dropped off at the safe-surrender fire station in New Mexico. She always hated that date, and once she told Finn about it, he offered to share his birthday, March 17th, with her.

Whether she got paired with Finn or not, she knew _his_ birthday was November 19th, so there was no way they would be assigned as partners again.

"Our two January birthdays first, Rose Tico and Kaydel Connix. Happy early birthday, girls."

Kaydel reached over with a grin to high-five Rose as Finn immediately began panicking about what he was going to buy Rose for her birthday.

"Poe Dameron and Rey."

Slinging his arm around her shoulders, Poe fist bumped her in victory. "So, you're cool with doing all the work, right?"

She shook her head and pushed him away with a smile.

"Finn Tuwon and Ello Asty."

Glancing around, Finn waved awkwardly to a dark-skinned boy in the front, who gave him a solitary nod in return.

"Man, meeting new people is hard." Finn whined as Holdo kept calling out names.

"Hey, the last new person you met was Rose. I'd say that worked out pretty well." Rey told him.

"Yeah Finn. Or is there something I should know?" Rose teased with a wink.

"What? No! I mean, yes! It did work out well. It's just…"

Holdo's voice came from the front, "And lastly, our November and December birthdays, Kylo Ren and Tallissan Lintra."

Their whole group watched as a smiling blonde girl attempted a wave at Kylo, then frowned as he simply stared at his desk.

"Now that everyone has their assignments, the last few minutes of class is reserved for you to meet, exchange contact information, and plan out when and where you will study together. As before, any issues with harassment are taken very seriously, and will be met with serious consequences. Dismissed."

Poe started telling her that being born on March 9th was clearly a blessing in disguise, since he had always wanted to work with one of those straight A types.

"I only have one rule," he told, mock-serious. "You're not allowed to fall in love with me."

"As your roommate, and someone who has seen your pile of dirty laundry, I can promise that will not be an issue."

He mimed getting shot with an arrow. "Ouch! My heart!"

"Alright, flyboy, let's focus. Lee Burns is suing Cuppa Joe Inc because he was scalded by one of their to-go cups when the lid came off. He's saying the lid wasn't secured properly by one of the employees, and that the coffee was kept at an unreasonable and dangerous temperature. We get to be the defendant's lawyers, and prove that Lee Burns is-"

"Dumb as a rock? I mean, who doesn't check their lid first? How do we know he didn't pop the lid off himself?"

"Oh, well, case closed then."

"See? Working with me is amazing."

"It's certainly something." Rey laughed, basking in the relief of working with someone she knew and trusted.

Maybe she wasn't totally fine yet. But she was going to be.

…

"Okay, so? Should I be freaking out or not?" Rey asked as she paced behind Finn.

Finn frowned, then read her email aloud. "'Ms. Rey, I would like to request your presence for a brief meeting after class tomorrow in my office. This is regarding a somewhat delicate interpersonal matter, so please be prompt and discreet.' Wait, am I allowed to read this? What if I get in trouble?"

"You have to read it so you can tell me whether I should freak out or not!"

"Okay, okay. First, do you think it's something to freak out about?"

Rey leapt forward and practically strangled him. "Of course I'm freaking out! What if my scholarship fell through? What if she changed her mind about last semester's grade? What if I'm failing the class?"

After prying himself loose, Finn pushed her shoulders gently down until she sat on the couch. "Second, breathe. She specifically says it's interpersonal, not about your grades, so I think you're fine. Besides, it's only been two weeks. We haven't even had homework yet!"

"Maybe there's secret homework that we don't know about! Maybe that's why it's personal!"

" _Inter_ personal. 'Involving relations between people'. Not something personal against you."

"Maybe she thinks I need more friends. Or that my socialization needs work. Maybe I haven't been raising my hand enough!"

"Okay, Hermione, whatever you say," Poe jibed as he walked in. "As if you don't already try to answer every question she asks."

"You don't know! Maybe she has higher standards for me!"

Poe tilted his head. "Would that be good or bad?"

Rey blinked. "I don't know. Maybe both?"

"Alright, nerds, there's only one way to solve this." Poe announced as Finn squinted at the screen once more.

He opened the fridge with a flourish, then declared, "More beer!"

"What? No. That is the opposite of helping." Rey told Poe sternly as he handed her an IPA.

"How do you know unless you try?" He winked, then handed Finn one too.

Rey opened her mouth, then sighed and took a sip from the bottle instead.

"Atta girl!" Poe clapped her on the back and held up his beer. "To the universal fix!"

"Temporary fix." Rey corrected, but clinked his lager anyway.

"You say that now," Poe nodded knowingly at her with a large grin. "But you just wait til tomorrow!"

…

The next day started with her wanting to kill Poe, topped only by her desire to stay in bed. After taking some aspirin and drinking copious amounts of water, her hangover thankfully subsided after her morning class.

Her nerves kicked into high gear in Holdo's class, the anxiety rattling through her brain almost as bad as the hangover. Once the bell rang, Finn gave her hand a comforting squeeze, and she walked down towards the podium.

"You… wanted to see me?" She asked cautiously.

"Yes." Holdo gave her a warm smile and collected her things. "My office is just down this way."

Rey followed her into a large room filled with books sitting on dark wood shelves. Her desk was of a similar color, and surprisingly already occupied.

"Maz! I mean, Dean Kanata. I didn't… I wasn't expecting…"

Maz smiled kindly. "There is no need to be nervous, Rey. Please, sit."

She perched on the edge of a nearby chair, Maz's reassurance having little effect.

"So, Amilyn tells me you're doing very well in her class."

"Oh. Um. Th-thank you. It's challenging, but I'm learning a lot."

Professor Holdo nodded graciously at the praise, then tilted her head at the other woman. "Perhaps we should begin?"

Maz sighed. "Very well."

Her shoulders tightened as the dean looked down at her hands, then back up at Rey.

"You were Kylo Ren's partner last semester, were you not?"

She blinked in surprise. This was not what she was expecting to talk about at all.

"I… yes. I was."

"And you requested a replacement partner at the beginning of the class?"

"Uh… yes. I… I asked for a new partner."

"If you don't mind the inquiry, why was this request made?"

Memories flashed across Rey's mind. Her nervousness about her first day. The intimidating figure in black.

" _The last thing I need is some bleeding-heart girl on a naive crusade to save the world."_

" _What the hell happened to you to make you such a bastard? At least you have a family!"_

" _Like you'd know anything about families."_

" _I know enough about yours, Ben Solo."_

" _At least I'm not a nothing from nowhere. With no one."_

 _The sound of her slap echoed loudly, the trail of red down his cheek burning bright in her mind's eye._

"Rey?"

She jumped a little, then fumbled for an answer. "I… thought our temperaments were too different to work productively together."

Holdo raised an eyebrow. "If I recall correctly, you said that he was a 'pretentious ass'?"

Rey winced. "I did say that, yes."

Watching her with great interest, Maz asked, "Yet the two of you earned the highest score in the mock trial. Did something, or someone, change?"

She searched for an answer. What changed? Had he? Had she?

" _Sorry about the credit card thing. It was a joke… but I shouldn't have done it."_

 _Him sighing loudly over his fish cooking in the pan. "Would you like some?"_

" _I call it… Kung Flu Fighting soup!"_

 _Calling him Ren._

" _You could stay."_

" _It's a stupid family thing. You wouldn't understand."_

 _Thanksgiving._

 _Christmas Eve._

 _The ki-_

Rey bit her lip. "Can I ask why?"

Holdo and Maz looked at each other, then Holdo sighed. "Do you remember what I said that first day of class? A warning about harassment and assault?"

Frowning, Rey glanced between them. "Yes?"

Maz spoke in a neutral tone. "Kylo Ren has been accused of harassment by his new partner."

A sudden ringing filled Rey's ears.

"As I told the class, we take accusations like this very seriously."

"And as his former partner, who also asked for a reassignment, we thought it would be prudent to talk to you first." Maz told her, dark eyes watching her carefully. "See if this is a pattern, if you had anything to tell us before we consider the appropriate consequences."

"I… No! I don't have anything to… W-what did he do?"

"According to Ms. Linstra, he has been moody, hostile, and belligerent. I told her the same thing I told you, and she said that if there was no other recourse to find a new partner, she would like to report him for harassment."

"You said something about consequences. What consequences?"

"If there is reasonable proof, students who display this kind of behavior face suspension, or possibly expulsion."

The ringing came back in full force as her gut clenched, Maz's words fading away.

"The safety of our students is our number-one…"

He couldn't-

She wouldn't let-

There had to be another way.

She was barely conscious of the words leaving her mouth. "I'll do it."

The women stared at her in confusion.

"What was that, dear?" Maz asked.

"I'll change partners with her." Rey declared, voice soft, but resolute.

Holdo leaned forward in concern. "Rey, this is not why we asked you here. In no way did we mean to imply-"

"If she agrees, I'll change partners with her."

Maz and Holdo glanced at each other. "Rey-"

"Will you at least ask?" She said, and even though she knew she was dangerously close to begging, she didn't care.

Holdo looked helplessly at Maz, who studied Rey for a long minute.

"Please?"

…

As Rey let out a long breath, Poe whispered behind her, "I mean it, Rey. I can do this. No need for you to fall on this sword."

She straightened her shoulders. "It's okay. I got this."

As she walked forward, she whispered it softly to herself. "I got this. I can do this. I got this."

The figure before her didn't look up.

"I take it your little tantrum didn't work?" He spat out bitterly.

And just like that, every bit of nervousness, of chagrin, of vulnerability disappeared under a cold rush of anger. How _dare_ he speak to poor Tallie like that. Speak to _her_ like that, when she had done so much for him. Use the same mocking words he said to her that first semester.

Gritting her teeth, she answered in a pointed tone, "Actually, it did."

His head snapped up dangerously fast the second he heard her voice.

"Rey," He breathed in disbelief.

She wasn't having any of it. "You were _this close_ to getting expelled for the way you treated Tallie. You're lucky they wanted to talk to me too."

"Rey, I-"

She cut him off by tossing a piece of paper on his desk.

"I got us a study room. I'll see you there after class. Don't be late."

The study room in the library was small and quiet, located in the midst of the impressive display of historical law books. Rey was already there, studying, when the door creaked open and Kylo stepped cautiously in, uncertainly resting strangely on his large frame.

"We will meet here twice a week for one hour. We will go over each other's arguments, make notes and corrections, then leave. This is a professional partnership and I expect you to treat it like one. Those are my terms. Do you accept?"

He sat slowly, her formal tone making him wary. "Rey-"

"Do you accept, yes or no?"

Kylo watched her for a few moments, dark eyes unreadable. "Yes," he said finally.

"Good. Here is what I have so far. I assume you brought your notes?"

He handed her a few papers, then after she started going through his outline in silence, the scratch of her pen the only sound, he shook his head and followed suit.

Exactly 58 minutes later, after some feedback and brief comments, Rey's phone alarm rang. Without a word, she packed up her bag, then headed for the door.

"See you in two days," she told him as she twisted the knob.

"Rey."

She knew she shouldn't stop, knew she should walk right out that door and ignore the way her name sounded on his lips, the way her heart tugged her back his direction.

But she didn't. Half-turning, she waited for him to speak.

After a long moment, he finally said, "I'm sorry."

Letting out a ghost of an ironic laugh, Rey pressed her lips together, biting back the sarcastic responses of _Oh are you now?_ and _Whatever for?_

Trying to calm her anger, she spoke in a clipped tone. "Have you told your mother?"

Kylo frowned at her, unsure of what she meant.

"That it was you?"

Realization dawning, he stared at the desk in a flush of shame, his hesitation an answer in itself, then murmured, "She knows."

Rey turned to face him, then gave him a tight, bitter smile.

"I'm sure she does."

The quiet click of the door closing echoed loudly between them.


	20. In Loco Parentis

_In loco parentis: "in the place of a parent" - Used to refer to a person or entity assuming the normal parental responsibilities for a minor. This can be used in transfers of legal guardianship, or in the case of schools or other institutions that act in the place of the parents on a day-to-day basis._

* * *

He hated this.

Or more accurately, he hated everything.

The stupid plates, which broke every time he flung them against the wall. The stupid coffee table, which dented after the third time he flipped it over. The stupid chairs, which snapped off legs when he sent them flying across the room.

He hated how he couldn't sit on the far right of the couch (because she sat there). How he couldn't open the cupboard to the left of the stove (because her snacks were still there). Couldn't touch the chair where she studied at the table. The cup that she used for her latte macchiato.

He especially hated that one girl. Ta… something. Reporting him for harassment. How ridiculous.

 _Maybe if you learned her name, or didn't snap at her every time she asked something, or throw your books across the room whenever you thought of_ _ **her**_ , _she wouldn't have reported you,_ a small, smug voice commented.

He snorted in derision. If anything, she was harassing him with all of her stupid questions. Maybe he could report her instead. Grabbing the legal dictionary off of his shelf, he flipped to the 'H' section.

" _Harassment is defined as repeated series of conduct which purposefully causes someone to feel intimidated or threatened,"_ his law book stated unhelpfully.

Glaring at the words on the page, even he could only argue that his actions weren't threatening on purpose.

 _Oh yeah, that'll exonerate you for sure,_ his internal voice snarked.

A sudden knock on the door caused his hopes to soar. Was it her? Did she come back?

He leapt over the coffee table and rushed to answer the door, only to halt suddenly as his blood ran cold.

"Senator Snoke." He managed to say, belatedly bowing his head. "Please come in."

The imposing, balding man stalked into his living room, peering around at the evidence of damage with narrowed eyes.

"Hux has brought me troubling news." Snoke commented in a low voice. "He tells me that despite visiting your family twice in as many months, you refuse to give him any information that might be useful to my campaign."

Clenching his fists as he visualized punching Hux in the face, Kylo kept his head down. "I have no information to give, sir."

"What I found much more curious was the fact that after years of disavowing your family, you returned to their home not just once, but twice. One might assume it was to collect intelligence in advance of the next election, but your silence would indicate otherwise."

Snoke turned to regard Kylo with a piercing stare. "But then, I considered the possibility that both of these abnormalities had the same cause."

Kylo met his gaze for a moment in confusion, then ducked his head once more. "Cause, sir?"

"Hux spoke of a girl."

He froze mid-breath, a primitive prey instinct that hoped lack of movement would prevent him from being seen.

"A scavenger looking thing, he said. Who is she?"

Taking a steadying breath, striving for an even tone, he answered, "She's no one, sir."

There was a significant pause, then Snoke responded, "Ah. No one, you say."

"Yes, sir."

"And by 'no one', you mean an orphaned girl named Rey with no last name, currently living at 1977 Niima Place, Apartment #138, with Finn Tuwon, another product of the foster system, and Poe Dameron?"

Kylo glanced up in fear and Snoke slapped him full across the face.

"Do not think me a fool, boy." He hissed as Kylo's cheek stung. "I pulled you out of nothing, gave you shelter, food, knowledge, education, your name, your purpose, and _this_ is how you repay my generosity?"

He turned away in disgust. "This girl has made you weak. More so than you were before, which I must admit, is rather impressive."

Keeping his eyes on the floor, Kylo started, "Sir, I have given you everything-"

Snoke grabbed his face and wrenched it up, fingers digging cruelly into his skin. "Do not lie to me, boy. Do not mistake my tolerance for blindness. I see all, know all, and _you_ are coming to the end of your usefulness."

He released his grip as Kylo fell to one knee. "You have one week to prove your value. If you fail, I will have no other recourse than to go to the girl. Perhaps she would be more willing to talk."

Straightening his coat, Snoke collected himself and added, "Everyone has their price. Or their limit."

Kylo tensed, clenching his jaw so tight his teeth hurt.

Opening the door, Snoke looked over his shoulder.

"Do not disappoint me again."

…

"Alright, see you Tuesday?" Poe asked cheerfully as he held open the apartment door.

Tallie grinned. "Sounds good. Nice to meet you, Finn!" She leaned in towards Rey, "And thank you again. I mean it."

Rey managed a small smile. "No problem. We'll see you in class."

"Bye!"

Poe closed the door and slid down with a lovestruck expression. "Rey, you really know how to treat a guy right. A new partner was the best early birthday gift I've ever gotten."

Rolling her eyes, Rey put a pot of water on the stove to boil for pasta. "So what I'm hearing is that your old partner was a huge drag?"

"Enormous." He agreed with a wink. "Total wet blanket."

"Just for that, no spaghetti for you."

"What? No, I take it all back. You're the best partner a guy could have."

"Uh-huh."

"I gotta say though, Tallie is pretty great."

Finn groaned from the couch. "For the love of God, Poe, we know. You've told us every day for two weeks."

"And it's just as true now as it was then!"

A gentle knock came from the door, and Poe stood up with a wide grin. "Maybe Tallie forgot something. Like asking me if I'm single."

"Open the door, loverboy." Rey called from the kitchen.

Poe flung open the door with dramatically, then stopped mid-flourish.

"S-Senator Organa!" He whispered in awe, and Finn jumped up from the couch to stare as Rey came out of the kitchen. "It's… why… you…"

"Hello, Poe." Leia greeted with a kind smile. "It's good to see you again."

"I… it is good… I mean, you're welcome. No! I mean, thank you."

BB-8 scurried up and barked for attention, tongue lolling out in happiness as Leia scratched behind his ears and told him he was still as handsome as ever.

"And you must be Finn," she extended her hand as Finn stared in shock. "I've heard so much about you, I'm glad I can put a face to your name."

He nodded rapidly, then shook Leia's hand very emphatically and for several seconds too long.

"Dude, let go!" Poe hissed, pulling him away.

Leia smiled at the boys, then turned to Rey with open arms, "Rey, dear."

Rey started forward with a grin, then found herself collapsing into Leia's motherly embrace, clinging tightly to her shoulder as she tried not to cry.

Turning slightly, Leia asked, "Would you boys mind giving us a moment?"

"Uh, sure." Poe said, then looked around until he saw BB's leash. "We'll... go… take Beebs on a walk. Here boy!"

Clipping the leash onto the bouncing corgi's collar, Poe dragged Finn, who was still gaping at Leia, through the door before closing it.

Once the boys were gone, Rey started crying in earnest, which Leia responded to with soothing pats on the back and a gentle string of, "There, there. It'll be alright."

Pulling herself together, Rey wiped her eyes on her sleeve and sniffled loudly. "I'm so sorry. I'm fine, really."

Leia smiled warmly, then took Rey's hands in her own. "I know you will be. Now, you go sit, and I'll make us some tea."

"What? No, I'm supposed to make you tea!"

"Nonsense. Now where do you keep- ah, here it is."

Once the kettle boiled, Leia made her way to the couch and handed Rey a steaming mug of chamomile. "There you go. Nothing like some warm tea after a good cry."

"I'm sorry again. I swear I'm usually much more put together, and less… weepy."

"Never apologize for crying, dear. Tears are proof that you're human." She watched as Rey sipped her tea. "Feel better?"

Rey nodded. "Much, thank you."

Resettling herself on the couch, Rey tilted her head at the older woman. "I was wondering… why are you here? Not that I don't love seeing you."

Leia studied her lavender Earl Grey for a moment, then spoke quietly, "Ben called me."

Rey sat up straight in surprise. "He did? About what?"

Stirring her tea first, Leia swallowed, then said, "About the attack on my campaign. How he was the one who told Snoke-"

She stopped, pressing her lips together, then looked at Rey with a tight, watery attempt at a smile. "I knew. I knew it must have been him. But to hear it, to have him tell me-"

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath as Rey reached out to touch her shoulder.

"You know, it hurt, but it was more of a healing pain, if that makes sense."

Rey gave her a sympathetic nod. "It does. Trust me, I know."

"Thinking about it, I think it was the first honest conversation we'd had in a long time. Perhaps ever. We've had talks that were loving, or distracted, or angry, but… never honest."

Leia shook her head in memory. "Han and I were not the best of parents. Both of us too good and established in our careers to realize that parenting - that _Ben_ \- was more important." She winced, then added, "Should have been more important."

"So, for the first time in our lives, I think, we just… talked to each other. And there's certainly still wounds, on both sides, but…"

Leia let out a breath, then held Rey's hand and gave her a genuine smile.

"But it's a step in the right direction."

Rey pushed down her wave of conflicting emotions and smiled back. "I'm so glad. I know it's been tough… for both of you."

Wiping away the lone tear that escaped, Leia looked at it with a small grin. "Well, look at that. Apparently I'm still human, too. Despite what my opponents might say."

Chuckling a little, Rey offered her a tissue.

"Now," Leia told her after touching up her eyes, "I came here because I wanted to thank you."

Rey blinked in surprise. "Thank me? Why?"

"Because, for the first time, Ben sounded like my son again. Because he is a better person for knowing you. And I know whatever happened between you two, that won't change."

Blushing, Rey shifted her grip on her mug. "Did he tell you what happened?"

"He didn't have to, dear. And I know, whatever it was," she reached over and gently tilted Rey's chin up, "you did what you had to."

Too overwhelmed to speak, Rey could only nod in thanks.

"Now, enough tears and heavy talk. How are your classes going?"

Sniffing, Rey gratefully leapt into the lighter topic. "Good! I mean, I swear the teacher in Torts II keeps giving me different last names every time out of spite, and got really offended when I pointed out that he had misspelled one of the cases names on the board…"

After a long while of small talk and stories, the door to the apartment slowly creaked open.

"Is there crying? We can come back if there's crying." Finn called through the crack.

Rey rolled her eyes. "Come on in, the crying's over."

Standing, Leia announced, "And I'm afraid it's past time for me to leave. It was wonderful to see you, Rey."

After pulling her into a comforting hug, Leia held Rey's face in her hands. "If I ever had a daughter, I would hope that she would be something like you," she whispered, then kissed her softly on the forehead.

"Poe, Finn, BB-8," Leia nodded, then winked at the corgi, who bounced a little at the sound of his name. "Thank you so much for your hospitality. I'm sure I'll see you again."

Once she had left, the boys turned to regard Rey in a mixture of awe and confusion.

"What was that all about?" Poe asked.

Rey shook her head. "I'll tell you once I figure it out myself."

Shrugging, Finn flopped down on the couch, then handed her a thick manilla envelope. "In our search for errands to do outside of the house, we finally picked up the mail. This is for you from the DSS."

"DSS?" Poe called from the kitchen as he dropped the pasta into the water.

"Department of Social Services." Finn explained as Rey wrestled with the seal. "They're the ones in charge of all the foster kids and adoptions and stuff. Is it about another scholarship?" He asked Rey as she victoriously pulled the large folder out.

"Oh, by the way, the post office people made notes on the outside about needing a full name to deliver mail in the future. First and last. Apparently they feel very strongly about it." Poe commented. "Red marks all over."

"Well, they can just blame my…" Rey opened the folder, then sat down heavily on the couch. "Parents," she whispered.

"Rey?" Finn jumped up in concern, then knelt down in front of her. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"My parents." She murmured again, still staring at the papers.

"No, no, we got the joke, sunshine," Poe told her, coming over as well. "What's going on?"

"They…" Rey swallowed, then glanced between her roommates and the folder in complete and absolute disbelief.

"They found my parents."


	21. While There is Life, There is Hope

_Dum vita est, spes est: "while there is life, there is hope"_

* * *

"Okay, now are you sure you want to do this by yourself?" Finn asked for the third time as they stepped into the diner. "We can come with you, if you want."

"No, I should… I should do this on my own." Rey nodded, as if trying to convince herself.

"You got this, kid." Poe reassured her from the other side.

"Yeah. I'll be fine." Rey attempted a grin, then stopped in her tracks. "Oh my God, is that them?"

The boys looked over, then peered at the photo in the folder Rey brought with her.

"I think so." Poe agreed, a hint of excitement creeping into his voice. "You're finally going to meet them!"

"I am!" Rey repeated with a smile, then her eyes widened. "Oh my God, I am. Oh my God. What if this is a terrible idea? This _is_ a terrible idea. I should just go home, right? I should go home. Why did I want to do this? I don't want to do this. What if they're awful? What if-"

Finn took her by the shoulders, "Peanut, breathe," he commanded, and waited until she took a long breath in, and then out.

"Okay, one more time."

She closed her eyes, then breathed out, then in.

"Alright, now look at me." She opened her eyes to stare into his dark ones as she gripped his hand tightly. "From the day I met you, you've dreamed about finding your parents. And I don't know how this meeting is going to go,"

He tapped her shoulder as her eyes drifted to the couple at the table. "Hey, hey, but I do know this - if you walk away now, if you leave before you meet them, you will regret for the rest of your life."

Taking a breath himself, Finn leaned towards her and said softly, "I know you're scared."

She bit her lip as she glanced up at him, seeking reassurance.

"I don't have any memories of my parents, or the car accident, and if I could meet them, after all this time, I'd be scared too. But I want you to remember, no matter what," he made sure to look her in the eyes before he finished, "you are not alone. You have family. You have _us."_

Poe put his hand on her arm and nodded as Rey pulled them both into a tight hug.

"You're right." She told him, then straightened her shoulders. "Okay. I can do this."

"Yes, you can. And if you need us, we'll be right over there," Poe pointed to an open table across the way. "Just wave, or wink, or nod, or anything, and we'll come running."

Rey gave them both a grateful smile, then let out another calming breath before walking over to the booth with the dark-haired couple.

"Hi." She said, voice only betraying a bit of nervousness. "Um… I'm Rey."

The woman on the end stood, with wide, hopeful emerald eyes, surprising Rey with how short she was. For some reason, Rey thought she'd be taller.

"Rey." She repeated, also with a British accent, then smiled tentatively and shook her hand. "Um…" she swallowed, and Rey felt relieved that she wasn't the only one with anxiety. "I'm Jyn. Jyn Erso-Andor."

The man stood as well, his dark beard and kind eyes somehow familiar to her. "Cassian Andor," he introduced himself with a nod. "Please, sit."

"Thanks," Rey murmured, then slid into the bench on the opposite side.

Their server arrived with a cheerful greeting, "Hey, folks, how we doing? Oh, hiya Rey, good to see you. What can I get everyone?"

"Hey Lu. Chai latte for me, please."

"Two espressos, please." Jyn ordered, then fidgeted until Cassian put his hand on top of hers.

"So, you are a regular here?" He asked in an accented, musical tone.

Rey was happy for the small talk. "Yeah, um, it's… it's close to my apartment, plus it's on the way to campus too, so that's nice."

"You're in law school, right?" Jyn asked. "The DSS didn't give us many details."

"Uh, yeah." Rey nodded as Lu brought their drinks over. "I'm studying to go into Family Law." Suddenly realizing that her standard explanation of how broken the foster system is might not be the most appropriate at this moment, she quickly replaced it with, "But I'm still a first year, so I'm taking the same classes as everyone else."

They sat in awkward silence for a moment, then Jyn leaned forward. "I'm sure you must have a thousand questions for us."

"Oh, well, the folder had a lot of information, so that was helpful." Rey stirred her chai, then tilted her head in slight curiosity, "Is it true you were DEA agents?"

Cassian grinned. "I was the DEA agent. She was my CI."

"Hey, just because I didn't jump at working for the man doesn't mean I'm a second-class citizen," Jyn replied with an eyeroll, then explained to Rey, "But yes, we both worked for the agency."

"She just needed a little push." Cassian added with an accompanying hand gesture.

Jyn narrowed her eyes. "More like a little extortion."

Despite their attempts at levity, Rey could sense their apprehension as they kept sending little glances of uncertainty her way.

"I know that it sounds a bit… fanciful," Jyn told her, eyes worried. "But it's true."

"Please, we are here for you. Ask us anything." Cassian told her, clearly more experienced in hiding his emotions than his wife.

Rey stared at her drink, overwhelmed by all of the questions she had imagined ever asking her parents, then settled on the one that had plagued her every night. The simplest, most complicated one.

"What happened?"

Cassian and Jyn glanced at each other, eyes flickering back and forth in a silent conversation, then Cassian sighed and looked at Rey, clearly designated as the story-teller.

"We had been working for the agency for a few years when we were asked to take on an assignment in Mexico. They had gotten word of a new drug in production, one more dangerous than anything on the street, being made somewhere out in the desert. They called it _pícaro_ , and there were already rumors that the Ameddas cartel, which was the largest drug trafficking organization we had ever seen, was getting ready to flood the market in both Mexico and the US as soon as it was ready to go."

Jyn added, "There were rumors that the Ameddas had help from someone in the States, someone high up with governmental access, but no one could prove anything."

"So we went undercover," Cassian continued. "We were there for almost a year, serving as _halcones_ , the lowest level in the cartel, and found nothing. They kept the drugs too well hidden, well guarded."

"Until I intercepted a call from one of the lieutenants of the Ameddas calling..." Jyn looked around, then leaned forward and whispered, "Orsen Krennic, the Director of Advanced Weapons Research."

Rey's eyes widened. "As in Callan Krennic's grandfather?"

Cassian nodded. "The call linked the cartel directly to Krennic, and to Admiral Tarkin, one of the highest ranking leaders in the military. We recorded the call and sent it to my boss, Draven, who sent it to his superiors."

Jyn narrowed her eyes and sneered into her coffee, "And that's when we got disavowed."

"Disavowed?" Rey repeated.

"It's the way spies get fired, except instead of a severance package, they leave you out in the cold and cut off all contact." Jyn explained resentfully as Cassian shot her a look.

"Krennic had people within our organization," he said, more to Jyn than Rey, with the weariness of a familiar argument. "We gave them everything we were supposed to, and technically we were going against protocol."

Jyn looked at Rey with hard, jade eyes. "Technically, we were disavowed because our relationship wasn't ' _sanctioned',"_ she spat out the word bitterly. "But at the same time, the recording of the call disappeared, all of the evidence we had gathered was lost, and Bodhi, the last person of our support team who still cared, told us that the Ameddas cartel had somehow gotten our faces, and our names. Our _real_ names."

Her gaze suddenly softened, and she offered a tentative smile. "And that's when we found out I was pregnant with you."

Rey blinked and sat back, still trying to process all of the information that was washing over her.

Cassian took up the thread of the story. "We had no one, nowhere to turn. We could not go home, but we had to leave. So we found a small town, close to the border, and hid there."

Jyn pulled out her wallet, then slid over a worn picture of a small baby, wrapped in a rough, bright blanket. "That's where you were born. Where we raised you. For three and a half years, we stayed there, thinking… hoping we were safe."

"Until they found us." Cassian said, jaw clenching in anger.

"They burned the whole town, and we barely made it out with our lives. The only reason we survived at all was because our neighbors, Baze and Chirrut, helped us escape." Jyn touched Cassian's arm subconsciously at the same time he reached for her hand. Rey observed them wordlessly, both awed and slightly envious of how in sync they were.

"Once we were out of danger, we knew…" Jyn bit her lip and closed her eyes for a moment.

"We knew the risks of our job," Cassian continued. "We signed up for them. But you didn't."

As careful as Cassian was, Rey could still see the cracks of pain in his mask. "We had to make sure you were safe. We had to protect you."

"We had one source left in the agency, someone who could take you across the border without raising suspicions."

Rey had been haunted her whole life by the story of how she was abandoned, left at a fire station by a tall, red-headed man with nothing more than a curt, " _This needs a new home. It's name is Rey. I've never understood why."_

The social workers had gossiped about it in whispers, the other children had shouted it at her with shoves and kicks. " _Not even a person! Just an 'it'!"_

"Who… took me?" She asked softly.

"My friend Kay, an analyst from the agency. He's a bit odd, but I trust him with my life. I wouldn't have trusted him with yours, otherwise." Cassian told her, picking up the tension in her voice.

"What's he look like?"

Jyn shrugged. "Ginger. Abnormally tall. Blue eyes."

Cassian watched Rey fidget for a moment, then asked softly, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. It's just..." Rey glanced up for a brief smile as Lu brought her another chai latte. "I thought, for a while… that he might have been my father."

His dark eyes studied her, eyebrows furrowing. "Whatever he said, it's not because he didn't care about you. Kay's not good at being…"

"Human?" Jyn supplied, which earned her a look from Cassian.

"Around people." Cassian finished pointedly. "He's not good at being around people."

Pushing aside the mix of relief and trepidation she still felt, Rey focused on the last portion of the untold story. "So, after you… after I went into the system, what happened? What did you do?"

"The only thing we could do - we hid. We had one copy of the recording left, but there was no one we could trust with it. But then, we heard of someone who might listen to us. Someone in the government who wasn't afraid to stand up to Krennic, to Tarkin."

Rey leaned forward, curiosity overtaking her. "Who?"

Jyn came closer, then whispered with in an awed voice, "Senator Organa."

" _Leia?"_ Rey repeated in shock.

Cassian blinked in surprise. "You know her?"

"Yeah! She's…" _What? Her sort of ex's mother?_ "Yeah, I know her. Wait, I heard something about her taking down a drug cartel at the start of her career. Was that...?"

Cassian and Jyn nodded. "She was the only one who believed us, who tried to help us. She risked her career, and probably her life, to get the information we had out into the open. But it worked! She took down Krennic, Tarkin, and the Amaddas drug cartel, all in one fell swoop."

Their memories of victory quickly faded as they both glanced at Rey.

"That's when we started looking for you," Jyn told her, green eyes heavy with regret. "But we couldn't… we had no proof, no records, no idea where you were. All we could do was fill out paperwork."

Cassian took Jyn's hand as he added, "We looked everywhere we could think of. I think we sent petitions to every state at one point."

Jyn reached across to touch Rey's arm. "We always loved you. We only ever wanted you to be safe."

Somehow, despite the fact that they were giving Rey the answers she had always dreamed of _(They loved her. They didn't want to give her up. She wasn't alone. They had been trying to find her for years),_ every reassurance only increased her anxiety.

 _It was too good to be true,_ whispered the small insidious voice that grew louder after every bad foster home. _It's just a story they're telling you. A ridiculous story! They aren't your family. You don't have one._

 _You're all alone._

 _They're lying to you._

 _You don't deserve a family, not with people who love each other, who love you._

 _You don't deserve any of it._

She pulled her hand away from Jyn's and stood, digging through her bag to hide her face, to hide her fear, to hide her desperate hope. "I'm so sorry, I… Thank you for coming all this way. I… it was good to… I have to go. I have… something I need to-"

Cassian stood smoothly, emotional mask in place. "We understand," he told her, his grip on his wife's shoulder the only sign he wasn't as calm as he sounded. "This is a lot to process. We are in town a few more days, so should you need anything…"

Rey gingerly took the card he offered, staring at the official DEA seal before shoving it (and her rising optimism that he was telling the truth) roughly into her bag. "I… Thank you. I will."

As Jyn pressed her lips together to conceal her pain, she rose to her feet and attempted a smile. "It was wonderful to see you, Rey."

Nodding, Rey started to extend her hand, then gave in to the part of her that wanted this to be real, wanted them to really be her family, and stepped forward into Jyn's embrace.

Nearly overwhelmed by the amount of information and emotions she had encountered in the last few hours, Rey let out a long sigh into Jyn's shoulder, then froze.

Scents of vanilla and lavender filled her nose, and she was suddenly transported to somewhere warm, with millions of stars sparkling in the darky sky above them.

" _You are my starshine, my only starshine. You make me happy, when days are gray,"_ a sweet, slightly off key song echoed in her ear as she felt the ghost of a kiss on her forehead. " _I love you so much, starshine."_

Her fingers traced rough, crystalline edges, connected by soft string to the woman behind her as she clutched the jewel to her chest. " _Love you too, Mummy!"_

" _Mi alma! Mija!"_ It was sunny now, with the hum of a busy market in the background. " _Hay guayabas!"_ Sweet fruit burst onto her tongue as she paused to spit out the seeds.

A laughing voice teased, " _Cuidado, mijita! You almost got me with that one."_ Hands picked her up and tossed her into the air as she screamed with delight, pretending to fly.

" _Higher, Papa, higher!"_

"Rey?" She heard the first voice again, then opened her eyes to see Jyn staring at her in concern. "Are you alright?"

"Do... do you have a necklace?" She asked quietly, unsure if those were dreams, or memories, or wishes born out of decades of longing.

Jyn blinked, then pulled out an opaque crystal hanging by a soft cord. "How did you know I was wearing a necklace?"

Wordlessly shaking her head, Rey stared at the jewel Jyn placed in her palm.

"It's a kyber crystal," she told Rey as it caught rainbows from the sunlight. "My mother gave it me, and you always loved playing with it as a baby. I wanted to give it to you, but we thought it would make it too easy for them to…"

Rey ran her fingers over the pendant, unsettled at how familiar the cracks and grooves felt, at how it seemed to contain Jyn's voice, her warmth, her worry. Her love.

Ever so slowly, Rey raised her eyes from the shining crystal to Jyn's worried expression.

"Mummy?" she breathed, so frightened that she was wrong, that everything being offered to her would somehow disappear if she reached for it.

Jyn's eyes filled with tears as she gently cupped Rey's cheek.

"Hello, starshine," she whispered back.

Turning haltingly to Cassian, Rey let out a shaking breath. "Papa?"

Relief and love washed over his face as he gave her a soft smile. "Te extrañe, mija."

Bursting into loud, shaking sobs, Rey clung to Jyn as Cassian held both of them in his arms, all of them surrounded by the pain of waiting, of longing, of desperate, wild hopes draining away to leave behind giddy, tearful, disbelieving joy.

"Rey?" Finn's cautious voice called out her name, and she looked up to see him and Poe standing awkwardly nearby, unsure whether or not they should intervene.

"Guys!" Rey shouted, launching herself across the way to hug both of them tightly. "I'm so glad you're here," she told them as they exchanged confused looks.

Throwing out her arm in a wide, carelessly happy gesture, she announced, "Guys, these are…" Rey paused to take a breath, to savor the words that had always hung just out of reach, then finished with only a slight waver in her voice, "my parents."

Jyn and Cassian nodded and gave their names as Rey introduced them. "This is Poe, one of my best friends."

Looking both surprised and touched by her words, Poe smiled and shook their hands.

"And this is my brother, Finn," she offered almostly shyly, and there was a moment of silence before Finn beamed and pulled them into a surprised hug.

"It is so wonderful to finally meet you both," he told them as Rey suddenly needed to wipe more tears away.

Cassian invited the boys to join them, and Lu brought over another round of coffees and beignets for the table while everyone asked questions and laughed and talked.

"You were the cutest baby!" Finn cooed as he looked at the picture. "Look at your little nose!"

"According to my father, it's from his side of the family and he apologizes," Jyn smiled, then met Rey's look of wonder.

"I have a grandfather?"

"And a grandmother! Galen and Lyra. They're both university professors out East, and they'll be over the moon to hear you're in Takodana Law School. He teaches renewable energy courses, and she's a romantic literature professor."

Rey blinked, then repeated, "I have grandparents." Glancing up at Poe with a wide grin, she bumped his shoulder and shouted, "I have grandparents!"

"And a last name! The post office will be thrilled," he winked.

"I do have a last name!" She smiled, then tried it out softly, "Rey Andor."

She looked up in time to see both Cassian and Jyn fight back tears, then had a sudden thought. "Wait, do I have a middle name?"

They nodded at the same time, then Cassian spoke in a gentle, loving tone. "Esperanza."

"Esperanza," Rey said, the accented name flowing easily off her tongue.

Finn tilted his head. "My Spanish isn't as good as it should be. What's it mean?"

Jyn smiled, eyes overbright, then told them, "Hope."

The word struck true to Rey's heart, encapsulating the thread that kept her going, despite the loneliness, the doubt, the pain, the fear, there was always that small, sometimes fading, light that she could cling to. That no matter how broken the world is, how dark it got, she could have faith in others. In herself.

"Hope was all we had for so long," Cassian said, Jyn leaning against him as they smiled at Rey.

"We had almost given up," Jyn continued, "until that young man called."

Rey, who knew that the DSS office was run primarily by women and a few men in their fifties, snapped her head up and stared at Finn, who looked equally startled.

"What young man?"


	22. Mutatis Mutandis

_Mutatis mutandis: "having changed what needed to be changed" - A caution to a reader when using one example to illustrate a related but slightly different situation. The caution is that the reader must adapt the example to change what is needed for it to apply to the new situation._

* * *

Kylo Ren had never felt so calm.

Sitting here, on his couch, the sun setting outside his window, the usual turmoil of his soul was oddly quiet.

Certainly there were still many things _(so many things)_ that he would change if he could, but right here, right now, his decision, path, and conscience were as clear as they had ever been.

He sat, waiting patiently until there was a knock at the door.

Walking over slowly, he opened it with a simple, "Senator."

Snoke strode into the room, confident and pleased by his deferential tone. "Your time is up, boy. What have you to offer me?"

Keeping his eyes on the ground, Kylo responded with an even tone, "I have no information to give you."

Whirling around in anger, Snoke marched towards him. "Then I hope you remember how to survive on the streets, because that's right where you're going." Gathering himself, he reached for the door. "Perhaps the scavenger will be of more value."

"Actually, she won't." Kylo called out, halting Snoke's grip on the knob. "Because you're not going to talk to her."

Snoke turned around slowly, ill-concealed fury building in his eyes. "You _dare_ speak to me like-"

"Yes, I do." He interrupted smoothly. "Because now, it's your turn to listen."

Sneering, Snoke took a deliberate, threatening step his direction. "You best curb your tongue, whelp, or I will cut it out."

"Pity. Then you wouldn't be able to hear my demands."

The Senator's eyes flashed dangerously. " _Demands?_ Are you _threatening_ me?"

Kylo watched him for a moment, then he broke into a slow grin. "Yes. Yes, I am."

Snoke stared in shock as Kylo explained, "You see, you're not going to do anything to her. Because if you touch her, go near her, pull one file on her, or even breathe in her direction," he looked up, eyes hard as flint, "I will end you."

"You seem to forget who has the power here, you insolent cur!"

"No." Kylo shook head, "No, I don't think I have. See, _you_ recruited _me_ because of information I had on my parents, and the harm you knew it could do."

He tilted his head. "And if you think the dirt I had on them was damaging, it is _nothing_ compared to what I have on you."

Circling Kylo with a hint of caution now, Snoke narrowed his eyes. "You have nothing."

"I have _everything,"_ Kylo hissed in return. "Photos, videos, recordings, financial documents, you name it. You gave me one week to collect valuable information, and that's exactly what I did."

He jerked his head toward his laptop with a smirk. "Should have taken away my access to your servers before you threatened her."

"You do this boy, and everyone will know exactly who you are, _what_ you are. No one will take you back, not your family, not your precious scavenger, no one! You will be alone, abandoned, forever!"

Kylo stared at the ground in quiet acceptance. "I know."

He looked up to meet Snoke's eyes. "But if it means bringing you down in flames, I will gladly burn."

Snoke clenched his fists. "This isn't over."

"But it is. Just in case you were thinking of killing me, because I know you are, I have a system that is programmed to send out all of this highly sensitive information to every publication in the country at a certain time every day. I have to enter a password to stop it, so if anything ever happened to me…"

Glaring, Snoke finally spat out, "What do you want?"

"I want you to retire. To fade into infamy. Crumple into dust. You can either disappear on your terms, or mine."

After a moment, Snoke sneered at him. "All this over an orphaned scavenger. The girl has infected you. Made you _weak."_

"I used to think so," Kylo told him slowly. "But consider this - if you had only threatened me, you very well might have gotten what you wanted."

Snoke took one menacing step forward, then whirled around with a growl and slammed the door behind him.

Kylo all but collapsed onto couch, part of him still reeling at what he had done, what he had said. But reeling or not, he could still feel the firm ground behind him, the knowledge that he had done the right thing.

Biting the inside of his cheek, he turned to stare at his phone; the next step somehow more frightening than the life-threatening blackmail conversation with a powerful political leader he had just had.

Straightening his shoulders, he pulled up his contacts screen and pressed the call button before he could change his mind.

After a few rings, there was a surprised, "Hello?"

Sucking in a deep breath, he swallowed, then ventured, "...Mom?"

…

This was the last straw. He couldn't take it anymore.

Viciously kicking the third box he had tripped over that day, Kylo winced at the sound of something breaking. He had thought it was the one with pots and pans, but as he could now see from the scrawl on the side, it was plates and mugs.

"Son of a-"

A knock came from the door, and he half-hoped it was Hux, sent by Snoke to intimidate him, so he could punch that ginger bastard right in the face and break something that wasn't his dishware.

Fists tightening in anticipation, he swung open the door and froze.

There, standing before him, wearing an oversized sweatshirt and crossing her arms in front of her, small curls escaping her three buns, staring at the ground in front of her, was…

"Rey," he breathed, desperating praying this wasn't a hallucination.

"Was it you?" She asked quietly, hugging herself and still not looking him in the eyes.

"Was what-"

" _Was it you?"_ Rey repeated emphatically, then stormed past him into the house. "Was it you who-"

She stopped suddenly, glancing around at the assortment of boxes around her.

"Are… are you moving?" She asked, and Kylo hoped he wasn't imagining the note of worry in her tone.

"Uh, yeah. I am. Hence the mess." He waved vaguely at the state of the room.

"Oh."

After a few moments of her just standing there, staring at the packing tape, he fidgeted a little. "Did you want to ask something, or...?"

She shook off her reverie. "Yes, I did. I wanted to know if it was you who…" A box labeled ' _Blankets'_ caught her eye, and her tone shifted. "Where?"

He blinked. "What?"

"Where are you moving?"

Scratching the back of his head, he nudged one of the boxes with his foot. "To a... super crappy apartment, actually."

So quiet he barely heard it, she murmured, "Somewhere far?"

"Uh, no. I mean, it's a few miles away, but it's not really that far. Few minutes' drive from campus."

"Oh. Good, that's good. That's… good to hear."

Kylo tilted his head a little. "It is?"

"Yeah. I mean, it's a good… it's a nice city. I mean, you've got the school and parks, and… places, and the…"

"People?" He finished, the word hanging in the air before he could stop it.

She finally looked up to meet his eyes at that. "Yeah," she agreed softly, then dropped her gaze to the floor again. "Anyway, I wanted to…" Her firm tone trailed off, then she glanced at him and demanded, "Why?"

"Huh?"

"Why are you moving?"

"Oh. Uh, well… I can't really afford this place on my own."

Startled, Rey blinked at him. "On your own?"

"Yeah. I mean, I've got the help of some student loans, which feel like I'll be paying off until I die. Not to mention their ridiculous interest rate. And they say lawyers are all con men."

"So, you're not…?"

He shook his head, watching her closely. "No. Not anymore."

Rey stared at him, then back to the ground. "Oh."

He was really starting to wish she'd use a more descriptive word to summarize her reactions.

"Couldn't your parents help?"

He shrugged self-consciously. "I didn't want to go straight from taking money from one Senator to another."

"Oh. I guess that makes sense."

"Yeah."

A minute went by, then his heart soared as she took one miniscule step towards him. "What changed?"

He searched to find an answer, and somehow let out the truth. "I did."

Shifting his weight a little, he explained, "Snoke was… I knew he was using me from the beginning, but I didn't care. I didn't really care about anything, for a long time."

He watched her bite her lip, then he quietly added, "Until I met you."

Her brown eyes met his in surprise.

"I met you, and you cared about… everything. Honestly, it was exhausting. You cared about your grades and your friends and your dog and kids in the system and the world at large and other people's happiness and even… me."

He scuffed the carpet with his toe. "For a while, anyway."

"And it must have rubbed off, because I started to care about things for the first time in years. What I said, how I said it, how it affected other people. And sometimes, when you looked at me, it was like… you expected me to be this good person. After a while… I… I wanted to be that person.

"But, working for Snoke, informing on my family… I couldn't be that person. I wasn't someone that was worth your time, your care, your respect. And, I realized that's who I wanted to be. Even if you never talked to me again."

She stared at him, something like sorrow in her eyes, then she reached for the open Sharpie on his table and put the cap back on it.

"I met my parents." She mentioned abruptly, and Kylo stiffened.

"Really? What… are they like?" He finally managed.

Spinning the marker in her hand, he could see the tears build up as she gave him a watery smile. "Better than I dared to hope for," she whispered.

"I'm glad." He told her, because he was. If anyone deserved a reprieve from crappy families, it was Rey.

She set the pen down, then stepped towards him. "How did you find them?"

He thought about asking how she knew, about telling her how he had gone through every file on Snoke's servers to delete any information they had on her, as well as anything related to his family, about the classified file he had found connected to his mother's folder, titled "Andor, Erso, Child(?)".

He wondered if he should mention that he had asked his mother to declassify the file, that he read it and realized the age and location and history of their child matched up, that he had gotten a profile of the man who dropped the baby off from the retired fire station chief, matched it to a DEA analyst that still worked there, verified her name and description.

He considered telling her that if he was in their place, he'd have looked everywhere to find her too.

"Pulled a few strings. I remember my mom talking about that case, and realized that the timelines matched up too well to be a coincidence. Did a bit more digging and found the paperwork the Andors had filed over the years, and that the department they worked with got shut down ten years ago."

Rey stared out the window, hugging herself tightly. "How long had you been looking?"

"Since November."

She turned to him, startled. "November?"

" _You're right. I'm a former foster kid with a sad sob story, which I don't want to tell you and you don't want to hear."_

Her eyes widened as she put the pieces together. "Your birthday."

Kylo nodded as she tried to sort through the range of emotions running through her.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Shrugging, he stared at the floor. "At first, it was because I didn't find anything. And, by the time I did…"

There was a weighted silence, then he finished, "I didn't think you wanted to hear from me. Ever. So I checked with the Andors, then passed everything to the DSS."

Rey stood silently, her ragged breathing and rapid blinking the only sign of her tumult.

"Why?" She whispered, holding herself together, her voice so uncertain, with only sliver of hope.

"Because… because you deserve to know. You deserve a family. A good family. You deserve people who care about you. People who…"

He swallowed, then took a small, hesitant, frightened step closer.

"Who love you."

He opened his mouth to say more, to tell her that she changed everyone around her for good, that his world was enveloped in cold darkness without her, that she shone so brightly-

Rushing forward, she pressed her mouth to his in a warm, relieved, giddy, slightly teary kiss, somehow hearing and saying more than either of them could ever express.

When they parted, she rested her forehead against his, closed her eyes, and breathed, "Thank you."

Taking a moment to savor her closeness, her voice, her scent, he sighed, then said, "You should… you should know that I didn't do it because I wanted you to come back to me. I mean… part of me… a lot of me wanted you to… but that's not-"

Running his hand through his hair, he took a rough, uneven breath, then tried again. "They never stopped looking for you, Rey. I found paperwork in every state, in every system they could think of. You deserved to know that."

He shifted his shoulders a little. "Even… even if you never spoke to me again, you deserved to know that."

Lips pressed together, heartbreak in her eyes, she reached up to gently palm his cheek, then pulled him down for a lingering, burning, reclaiming kiss, emboldening him enough to tug her closer, to tangle his fingers in her hair, to let out a ragged, tearful breath of relief when she turned to bury her face into his shoulder.

"I missed you," he murmured in a broken voice as he pressed another soft kiss into her hair, drawing her further into his embrace.

"I know," she whispered back, listening to the comforting _thump-thump_ of his heart.

"I missed you too."


	23. De Futuro

_De futuro: "concerning the future" - At a future date._

* * *

"Hey, I didn't see a box big enough for the coffee maker, are you hiding more somewhere?" Rey shouted as she piled another box on top of the table.

"I'm not taking it," came a muffled voice from the bedroom. "Or the couch."

Rey immediately stuck her head around the door. "What do you mean _you're not taking the couch?!"_ She all but shrieked, causing Kylo to wince and rub his ear.

"I'm not taking it. Wasn't bought with my money, and I can't move it anyways. I'm only taking essentials." He told her, tossing his shirts into a bag.

She stood for a moment, mouth open, until a mischievous grin suddenly appeared.

"You and Snoke didn't part on friendly terms, right?"

He glanced up, then said slowly, "Not exactly."

"So you could say… you guys are enemies."

"... I guess. Why?"

Rey beamed and raised her fist. "Then it's time for some vigilante justice!"

"Some what?"

"Vigilante justice! Robin Hood stuff! Steal from the rich, give to the poor. Rebel, reclaim, reuse."

Kylo stared at her amusement, only the slight quirk at the corner of his mouth betraying his amusement. "And in this scenario, I'm Robin Hood?"

"Nope. I'm Robin Hood. You're the poor." She winked.

He shot her a look before shrugging. "True enough, I suppose."

Leaping victoriously onto the couch in question, Rey hugged a cushion tightly. "Don't worry, precious, you're safe with me. We're going to take you to a new home!"

"That thing weighs a ton. You and what army?"

A few seconds of silence passed before Kylo stuck his head around the doorframe. One look at Rey's impish smile was enough to confirm his suspicions that he wasn't going to like the answer.

…

"Guys, I have been waiting for this exact situation for so long, I'm so excited for the proper context so I can do this justice-"

"Poe," Rey snarled from the lower half of the couch, "I swear to God, if you-"

"PIVOT!"

A collective groan came from the other three corners.

"Finn, can you punch him in the gut for me?" Rey asked as she attempted to shift the couch to the left.

"Only if you want this thing to drop on you like a ton of bricks," Finn grunted with effort from the top of the stairs.

"C'mon Trylo, why isn't more happening on your side? I thought you were a big bad tough guy!" Poe shouted from above.

"That's rich coming from the guy who's only contributions today have been smart remarks." Kylo muttered as he hefted the bottom corner up one stair.

Rey strained to heave her side up and shot back, "C'mon Ren, what's the point of having an eight pack if you can't even lift a couch?"

The entire group halted suddenly, and Rey popped her head up in confusion to see Kylo's ears turning bright red, Finn gaping at her in horror, and Poe regarding her with a salacious grin.

"So…" her roommate asked, waggling his eyebrows. "How do you know he has an eight pack?"

Rey froze, then put her shoulder to the couch and muttered, "None of your damn business."

"Ewww!" Finn groaned, closing his eyes. "Now that's in my brain!"

"If you guys moved your feet as fast as your mouths, we'd be done by now," Kylo growled, still blushing.

After copious amounts of teasing and whining, they finally wrestled the couch into the slightly-too-small living room and collapsed with a collective groan.

A few seconds later, Rey popped up with a bright smile. "I'll grab the next box!"

The boys waved at her in weary acknowledgement, with Kylo tilting his head at her overly bright tone.

Once they got to their feet and Rey returned to the apartment, Finn reminded everyone that they hadn't had lunch yet.

"Alright, I'll order," Poe volunteered as he grabbed his phone. "Kylo, you paying or what?"

Kylo frowned. "I don't know if you've heard, but I'm broke."

Poe raised an eyebrow. "I don't know if _you've_ heard, but so are we!"

With a sigh and a roll of his eyes, Kylo pulled out a couple of bills and handed them over. "I want the change!"

"Yeah, yeah." Poe agreed absently as he and Finn went down to grab more boxes. "Why, yes, hello Victoria, I'd like to order two pepperoni pizzas with a side of your number."

As their voices faded down the stairs, Rey dug out her toolbox and tightened the fittings around the kitchen sink, then zipped over to the off-kilter cupboard to fix the hinge, and was about to head into the bathroom with her wrench when Kylo blocked her way with crossed arms and a suspicious look.

"Hey. What's going on?"

"Hm?" Rey asked.

"You haven't stopped moving since we got here."

"I thought that's what we were doing! Can't move you in without moving!" She tried to go around him until he gently caught her arm.

"Rey. Talk to me."

Scuffing her toe on the floor, Rey shifted a little before answering. "I guess I'm… It's just… your old place was really nice."

Kylo frowned in confusion. "Okay..."

"I mean, like really nice. Like, futuristic high-tech spaceship with spa-like amenities kind of nice."

"...Sure."

"And this is…" She glanced around at the faded carpet, the dingy walls, the tiny kitchen and shrugged, "it's… pretty crappy."

Looking around as well, Kylo furrowed his brows. "Gee, thanks."

"No, that's not what… I just mean…" Letting out a long breath, she stared at the floor and murmured softly, "What if it's not worth it?"

Blinking in surprise, he watched her fidget for a moment. "What if giving all that up, moving here, taking out loans, all that, what if it's not worth all this?"

So quietly he had to lean down to catch it, Rey whispered, "What if I'm not worth it?"

His heart twisting, he pulled her close against his chest, resting his chin on top of her head for a long moment, trying to convey comfort and reassurance as he searched for the right words.

"First, I left Snoke because it was the right thing to do. And second,"

Stepping back, he gently tilted her chin up until she met his gaze.

"You are worth so much more than any of this. Everything that has happened, anything that could happen-"

He could see her eyes watering even as the tension started rolling away from her shoulders.

"You are worth all of it."

With a sudden burst of movement, she flung her arms around him and kissed him in relief, in comfort, in love.

"Oh come on, guys! We were gone for like ten minutes! Get a room!"

They broke apart to send Poe identical glares.

"We're in a room." Kylo growled at him.

"You were gonna do it in the kitchen?!" Finn shrieked in dismay. "Do you know how unsanitary that is?"

"Do you know how fast you're going to get smacked if you don't share that pizza?" Rey dished back, grabbing the box out of his hand with a light shove as Poe winked at her.

"Where's my change?"

"Oh, uh… there wasn't any change."

Kylo glowered until Poe gave in with a loud sigh.

"Okay, there was, but we had to tip the guy, and then we bought snacks from the vending machine."

He tossed Rey a bag of Bugles, which earned him a squeal of delight from Rey, and a slight softening of Kylo's scowl.

"Fine," he muttered as Rey stuck the Bugles on her fingers and wiggled them in his face.

Poe grinned, then offered, "But hey, if you want something from the vending machine too, we can search the couch for wild $100 bills!"

Inspired by the suggestion, Finn started tossing the couch cushions in the air and checking the crevices for spare change. "Hey, guys, even if we don't find any money, we should build a pillow fort!"

"Yes!" Poe agreed with a fist pump. "I'll grab the blanket box!"

"Wait, no, I haven't set up anything yet-" Kylo started to protest, then crossed his arms in a huff as the boys started stacking cushions and blankets on top of each other.

Rey tossed them a few sheets with a grin undiminished by Kylo's look of betrayal.

"Oh come on. Live a little! When's the last time you had a blanket fort?"

"Never. Because even as a child I thought they were stupid." He groused, then shot a dark look towards the couch as he got beaned on the back of a head with a throw pillow.

Tossing the offending object back, he shook his head and asked, "Are they always like this?"

Rey shrugged with a smile. "Mostly. Sometimes they're even more immature."

Finn shouted "Hey!" at the same time Poe called out, "And you love us for it!"

"So true!" Rey answered, chucking her rolled up plush blanket their way.

Kylo rubbed his face. "Why do I get the feeling that my life is about to get a lot louder? And more annoying?"

"Well, if I'm going to be over here often, then they're probably going to be coming over a lot too." Rey told him a little sheepishly. "So… yeah. This'll be pretty normal from now on."

He stood a moment, watching the boys hook up his gaming system to the tv so they could play in their pillow fort, then turned to Rey with a surprisingly soft expression.

"I like the sound of that."

Startled, Rey looked at him with a confused frown. "The sound of what? People being loud and annoying?"

Half-shrugging, he tugged her a step closer. "From now on."

She blinked at him in surprise that quickly turned into a warm, glowing smile as she reached up to kiss him slowly, tracing the side of his cheek with her hand, reflecting on how perfectly and incandescently happy she was right here, right now.

"Me too."

* * *

 _Okay, I haven't been adding author's notes mostly because I wanted this story to stand purely on its own, but can I just say that you guys have been AMAZING! If you've left kudos, it's made me smile, and if you've left a comment, I've read it over and over, and every bit of love you've shown this fic has created more inspiration!_

 _I want to give an extra special shout-out to those of you who left comments on multiple chapters, and if you've been a silent reader so far, please take a moment to let me know what your favorite part was, or if you have any questions._

 _It's so hard to say good-bye, but thank you all for making this an amazing journey!_


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